Classroom First: TSC Moves To Outlaw Side Hustles For Public School Teachers

Public school teachers across Kenya could soon be forced to choose between their teaching jobs and secondary businesses under sweeping legislative proposals. The Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, currently under consideration by the National Assembly, introduces strict disciplinary guidelines aimed at curbing dual employment and enforcing full dedication to the classroom.

Under the proposed legal framework, engaging in other gainful employment while serving under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will explicitly be classified as professional misconduct. Teachers found undertaking secondary business ventures—commonly known as side hustles—or outside employment face formal disciplinary proceedings, which could ultimately lead to dismissal or deregistration from the teaching roll.

The move forms part of a broader statutory overhaul by the commission to tighten discipline, improve performance management, and safeguard learner welfare. Alongside prohibiting secondary employment, the bill expands the list of professional offences to cover misconduct such as cyberbullying, chronic absenteeism, negligence, misuse of institutional resources, exposing learners to drugs or adult content, and engaging in sexual exploitation or inappropriate relationships with students.

Furthermore, the bill introduces severe financial and operational consequences for educators facing legal scrutiny. Under the proposed provisions, teachers charged with serious offences will be suspended on half-basic salary pending the outcome of their cases. To balance these expanding enforcement powers, the legislation proposes the establishment of a Teachers Service Review Committee, giving aggrieved educators a formal legal framework to appeal disciplinary decisions.

If passed into law, the amendments will significantly alter working conditions for hundreds of thousands of public school teachers, establishing a rigid operational standard that prioritizes dedicated classroom duties above external income streams.