Activists Oppose Commissioner of Prisons' Move to Abolish Academic Requirement in Promotions
- The provision requiring that constables in the correctional department possess a master's degree before promotion has not sat well with some quarters
- Two activists filed a suit to challenge the requirement, saying it was discriminatory and hence should be struck out
- The activists said their petition in court sought equality and fairness in the process of recruiting and promoting officers
Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with TUKO. Enroll Now!
Human Rights activists Peter Agoro and Henry Muriithi are challenging a provision that requires serving constables to have a master's degree and 10 years of experience to be considered for promotion to the rank of inspector of prisons.
Source: Facebook
The petitioners who moved to court argued that the requirement was discriminatory since it allowed members of the public joining the prison department as cadets to be promoted to the same rank with an undergraduate degree.
How activists argued against KPS promotions
The court, in review of its first directions, was persuaded that the matter is extremely urgent and ordered both parties to appear before her for mention and further directions.
The lady justice reviewed her earlier directions on the mentioned date of May 15, 2025, as Agoro argued in the new application that waiting until that date without a conservatory order preserving the substratum of the matter will render the court process nugatory and a mere academic exercise
The court was persuaded by this argument.
In response to the directions issued by the court, the prison's boss went beyond retracting the master's requirement to abolishing academic requirements in the promotion of officers.
The petitioners are now accusing the Commissioner General of Prisons (CGP) of doing what he was not asked to do.
They contend that their petition was not to make academic papers count for nothing, but rather to have equality and fairness in the process of recruiting and promoting officers.
"We raised the question of fairness and equality. We asked why it is that cadets are only required to have an undergraduate degree to be considered for promotion, while serving constables are required to have a Master's degree. The yardstick should be the same, either they all must have a Master's degree, or an undergraduate degree. We did not ask them to abolish academic requirements," explained Agoro.
He argued that the signal issued by the CGP on Friday, April 25, 2025, would disenfranchise officers who have gone the extra mile to study, as their academic credentials would count for nothing.
Source: Twitter
What requirements did prison department ask for recruits?
The Kenya Prisons Service initiated a recruitment drive on April 7, targeting male and female constables, cadet officers, and technicians.
The job seekers were instructed to attend designated recruitment centres on April 30.
For cadet officer roles, applicants are required to hold a degree, while constable positions demand a minimum KCSE mean grade of D+.
At the same time, the Kenya Prisons Service warned job seekers against paying any fees for recruitment, emphasising that the process is both free and transparent.
Applicants were instructed to bring their identification cards, birth certificates, and relevant academic and professional documents to the designated recruitment centres across the country.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
