By Isaac Dan Bw’Onyancha
The recent directive by the Public Service Commission (PSC) requiring all senior civil servants in the ranks of directors and above to acquire a Master’s degree within two years or face dismissal has sparked a wave of justified concern and unease within the public service.
While the desire to professionalize and enhance the competence of our public sector is valid, the implementation of this directive is deeply problematic.
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It is both legally precarious and professionally inconsiderate. It attempts to retroactively impose new academic requirements on officers who are already serving under frameworks that were previously lawful and recognized.
This risks violating the right to fair labour practices protected under Article 41 of the Constitution and relevant provisions of the Employment Act.
The move appears to reduce leadership and technical capacity in the public service to a matter of academic titles while overlooking the fundamental value of experience, institutional memory and on-the-job competence.
Many of the officers in these positions have dedicated decades of service, rising through the ranks based on merit, diligence and demonstrable impact.
Their legitimacy cannot suddenly be questioned simply because they do not possess a university certificate.
To proceed with this directive as it is would be to ignore the foundation on which Kenya’s public service has stood — experience, loyalty and competence.
Even more troubling is the one-size-fits-all nature of the policy.
It fails to consider the diversity of circumstances among officers across various regions, particularly those working in hardship or rural stations where access to accredited universities is limited.
Financial constraints, age, family responsibilities and job demands further complicate the feasibility of pursuing such programs within the narrow timeframe.
A two-year ultimatum amounts to professional coercion rather than capacity building. In a country still struggling with unequal access to higher education, this directive risks deepening inequality instead of addressing gaps in skills and performance.
Professional development must be encouraged in a realistic and inclusive manner.
The PSC should instead prioritize continuous in-service training, leadership development, modular executive learning and recognition of prior learning and experience.
Globally, these models have proven effective in building a professional and high-performing public service without causing panic or disenfranchising competent officers.
Institutions like the Kenya School of Government can be strengthened to deliver targeted capacity-building programs that align with sectoral needs while taking into account practical realities on the ground.
In conclusion, while the PSC’s intention to raise standards in public service is commendable, the current directive is likely to cause more harm than good.
It threatens to demoralize dedicated officers, erode institutional memory and open the door to litigation.
Kenya does not need an academic purge but rather a smart and balanced approach to public service transformation.
Experience and performance must remain central pillars of career progression.
The PSC should reconsider this directive and embrace a more flexible and inclusive approach that promotes professionalism without punishing the very people who have sustained the public sector over the years.
The writer is a public governance expert and scholar. He holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Management, currently serving as senior director in the County Government of Nyamira. He is a strong advocate of lifelong learning and academic growth. The views expressed here are personal.
