TSC Study Leave Policy and application guidelines for teachers

May 31, 2025 Maverick John

Teachers wishing to proceed for study leave must fill and submit the Study Leave Application Form. This form is to be completed in triplicate. The original copy will be sent to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Duplicate to the Headteacher and Triplicate to the TSC County Director.

Application for study leave must be received at the Teachers Service Commission Headquarters at least 90 days before commencement of studies. According to the Commission, Application for study leave must be accompanied by a copy of the University/College admission letter.

Applicants for the Three (3) months Research leave must attach the following:-

Initial Admission letter
Coursework completion letter
Transcripts for units completed

A teacher shall NOT leave the duty station before study leave is approved in writing by the Commission. A teacher will be expected to report for duty on or before the date of expiry of the study leave.
Applications for extension of study leave or Change of course or institution must be made to the Commission at least thirty (30) days in advance.

APPLICATION FOR STUDY LEAVE

The study leave application form has been modified to show the number of streams in a school and the number of teachers on study leave. It will apply to all teachers wishing to proceed on study leave. A specimen copy of the study leave application form is herewith attached. On receipt of the study leave application, the Commission will decide whether one qualifies for:-

Study leave with pay
Study leave without pay
No study leave in which case the teacher will be required to resign or be deemed to have deserted if he/she proceeds for studies.

PROCEDURE OF APPLYING FOR STUDY LEAVE

Application for study leave will be forwarded to the Commission at least three months prior to commencement of studies. Where Government scholarship is received late the Commission will consider late application.

The application form will be completed in triplicate and the copies distributed as follows:-

The original copy will be forwarded to TSC by The County Director.
The duplicate copy will be retained in the office of The County Director
The triplicate copy will be retained in the institution

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STUDY LEAVE APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Teachers will qualify for study leave only when they are attending full time studies.
Teachers pursuing studies for their first degree will not qualify for any study leave.
The number of teachers on study leave at any one time should not exceed 2% of a county’s primary school’s teacher population.
For post primary institutions the number will be limited to one teacher for a single streamed school, two for a double streamed school, three for a triple streamed school and four for four streams and above. There should not be more than one teacher on study leave from a department at any one time.
A newly employed teacher will not qualify for study leave unless he/she has worked for the Teachers Service Commission for five years.
A teacher will not qualify for study leave if he/she wishes to study in an area that is not in the school curricula or in the Study Leave Policy.
A teacher will only qualify for study leave after serving for three years since the expiry of a previous study leave, whether such leave was with or without pay except for KISE certificate cases who will be required to serve for one year.
A teacher on study leave will be required to submit semester progress report to the Teachers Service Commission Headquarters at the end of each semester.
A teacher will be required to submit the certificate one year after completion or the expiry of the leave. Teachers who for any reason are unable to complete or pass their courses will be required to report back to the commission immediately and produce documentary evidence of the part of the course covered and the reasons for the inability to complete the course. A teacher who does not pass the course will not qualify for any other leave thereafter.
Teachers on study leave will remain answerable to the headteacher in their duty station. For that reason teachers on study leave should report to the headteacher for assignment of duties when there are interruptions in their programmes.
Extension of study leave will be limited to a maximum of three months and will be without pay.
Teachers admitted to foreign universities who are self sponsored will only qualify for unpaid study leave.
A teacher on study leave will be required to apply for posting in writing to the Teachers Service Commission at least 30 days before the completion of the programme for which the leave was granted or expiry of the leave.
Teachers above fifty five (55) years of age will not qualify for study leave for courses exceeding 6 months.
On expiry of study leave teachers may not necessarily be posted to their former stations.
Upon approval of study leave, a teacher will be bonded to serve in the Public Service for varying periods based on the duration of the leave.
Teachers pursuing masters degrees through school based or part-time programmes will qualify for a maximum of 3 months leave to carry out research. However, this leave cannot be extended.

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STUDY LEAVE WITH PAY

The following categories of teachers will qualify for study leave with pay.

Teachers selected for training locally or abroad by the Commission, Ministry of Education or the Ministry of state for Public Service provided they fulfill all other conditions attached to study leave.
Untrained Graduate Teachers in the employment of Teachers Service Commission, studying for the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in approved Universities.
Untrained Technical Teachers, Assistant Lecturers and Lecturers in the employment of Teachers Service Commission, undertaking professional training at Kenya Technical Teachers College or a post graduate diploma in a recognized university.
Trained Technical Teachers and lectures in the employment of Teachers Service Commission admitted to National Polytechnics and accredited local universities for Higher Diploma and masters degree in the following course areas:

Engineering Courses
Mechanical Engineering/Agricultural Engineering/Water Engineering
Motor Vehicle Mechanics/automotive Engineering
Electrical engineering/Electronics engineering
Structures/Civil Engineering/Construction/Architecture
Computer Science/Engineering
Clothing, Fashion design and Textile Technology
Applied Sciences/Technology
Medical Laboratory Technology
Pharmacy
Applied Biology
Food & Beverage and Hotel Management
Food Science & Technology
Library Science
Food Nutrition & Dietetics
Bakery Management
Institutional Management
Business Studies
CPA/CPS part III
Secretarial Studies
Co-operative Management
Supplies Management
Information Technology
Tourism Management
Technical Education
B.Ed Technology
Master of Technical Education, Vocational and
Industrial Training

5. P1/AT IV teachers admitted to Kenya Institute of Special Education to study a Diploma in Special Education.

6. Teachers admitted in accredited local Universities to study for Masters Degrees in the following areas:-

History
Geography
Christian Religious Education
Islamic Religious Education
English
Kiswahili
French
German
Arabic
Fine Art Art & Design
Music
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Mathematics
Agriculture
Business studies
Special Education
Curriculum Development
M. Ed Technology
Guidance and Counseling/Education Psychology/ Counseling Psychology
Education Planning and Administration
Entrepreneurship
Project Management & Development,
MBA: Human Resource Management & Development,
Strategic Management,
Project Planning & Management

STUDY LEAVE WITHOUT PAY

The following categories of teachers will qualify for study leave without pay:-

P1/AT IV teachers admitted to Diploma Colleges provided the subject studied is in the school curricula
P1/AT IV teachers admitted to National Polytechnics or Institutes of Technology for areas relevant to the teaching curricula
Teachers admitted to accredited Universities for masters degree courses in the following areas: Early Childhood Education, Physical Education, Research, Environmental Studies, HIV Aids, Disaster Management, Gender Based Courses, Poverty Eradication, Sustainable Development, Conflict resolution, Education Communications Technology and Media Studies
Teachers studying for PHDs.

The Commission will limit the number of teachers pursuing these non-core areas to 15% of the total number of teachers on study leave.

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