Teachers to earn promotions for nurturing talent

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Teachers who dedicate their time to nurturing learners in music, drama, sports and other co-curricular activities are set to gain an advantage in career progression, with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) moving to recognise their contribution in promotion guidelines.

TSC chairman Dr. Jamleck Muturi said activities ranging from music, drama, creative arts, ball games and science congresses would be considered in the career progression of teachers.

“We are considering including activities such as ball games, science congresses, creative arts and music in our teachers’ career progression guidelines as part of the criteria for promotion,” Dr. Muturi said.

He spoke at Kibabii University in Bungoma on Tuesday during the winners’ concert of the 98th Kenya National Music Festival, which brought together learners, teachers, parents, trainers, adjudicators and education officials from across the country.

Dr. Muturi said the government had recently released funds to promote more than 34,000 teachers, building on the 270,000 teachers promoted over the previous three years.

He also raised concern over a shortage of teachers in music, creative arts, home science, woodwork and metalwork, calling on universities and teacher-training institutions to open more opportunities for students to train in the disciplines.

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba said the Kenya Music Festival had played a critical role in nurturing talent among learners and creating opportunities for teachers to develop and mentor young performers.

In a speech read on his behalf by Education Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala. Ogamba said the festival had over the years transformed classrooms into concert halls and schools into incubators of creativity, while producing performers, teachers, music directors, broadcasters, producers and creative entrepreneurs.

He said the festival remained one of the longest-running talent development platforms in Africa and deserved continued investment.

He said music teaches discipline because every note matters and teamwork because harmony cannot be achieved through solo voices alone.

Ogamba said the theme of this year’s festival, “Enhancing the Creative Economy through Knowledge, Skills, and Artistic Production for Sustainable Development,” was timely and visionary.

He cited UNESCO figures showing that cultural and creative industries generate more than $2.25 trillion annually, contribute approximately three per cent of global GDP and provide employment to nearly 50 million people worldwide.

In Kenya, he said, the creative economy was emerging as a significant contributor to employment, innovation and national income, with music, film, fashion, theatre and digital content creation creating new opportunities for young people.

“Music is therefore no longer simply an extra-curricular activity. It is an economic opportunity, a profession, an industry, and indeed, a career,” Ogamba said.

He said the festival aligned with the transition to Competency-Based Education and Training because learners possessed different gifts and abilities.

“Not every learner will become a doctor, an engineer, a lawyer. But every learner has the potential to excel,” he said.

The Cabinet Secretary called for the Kenya Music Festival to be harmonised across basic education, TVETs, middle-level colleges and higher education so that talent could be nurtured from the classroom to the professional stage.

Ogamba said the government was investing in the creative industry and had policies creating an enabling environment for investors to establish industries that would provide career opportunities for young people.

He further called on universities to establish studios where creative works could be produced, saying the performances showcased at the festival were useful not only for teaching and learning but also for marketing Kenya’s way of life and culture and connecting different cultures.

Host Governor Kenneth Lusaka said Bungoma was not merely hosting the festival but was celebrating Kenya through the country’s young performers.

He said the festival had brought together learners from different parts of the country, demonstrating the ability of music to bridge ethnic, regional and linguistic differences.

“Music crosses tribes, languages, and counties. A child from Bungoma can sing with a child from Mombasa; different backgrounds, one Kenya,” he said.

He added that Bungoma’s selection to host the event was also a recognition of the county’s rich musical heritage, citing the contribution of celebrated Western Kenya musicians including the late George Mukabi and Daudi Kabaka.

He urged the young performers not to regard their trophies as the final destination but as the beginning of a bigger journey.

“To our young people, remember that the trophy is not the destination; it is the beginning. Your talent is a gift—nurture it, discipline it, and dream for the world,” he said.

Kenya Music Festival chairman Prof. Fred Ngala said the 2026 national edition attracted 143,000 student participants and awarded more than 700 trophies.

He said 13,137 learners with special needs participated in the festival, demonstrating its reach as a platform for talent development.

Prof. Ngala, however, raised concern over the gender imbalance among participants, saying girls accounted for 69 per cent while boys represented only 31 per cent.

“This calls for affirmative action. We need to encourage our boys to concentrate more and participate in these festivals,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of all partners and Equity Group CEO Dr. James Mwangi, Carol Rutto, the bank’s Director and Head of Retail Banking detailed the financial institution’s commitment to supporting the festival.

She emphasized that corporate investment aims to teach students how to monetize their skills.

“We are trying to ensure that the learners use whatever talents they have and make it a money-making enterprise. What will they be doing after school? How will they ensure that they don’t just entertain, but actually make money out of their talents?” She posed.

By Chris Mahandara

Reporting originally appeared via Kenya News Agency. Read the full source for additional context.