Academic and research staff in public universities and research institutions will now retire between 60 and 75 years, depending on rank, employment type, and disability status, under new guidelines issued by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
In a memo addressed to Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, university councils, vice chancellors, state corporations, the Registrar of the Judiciary, and the Auditor-General, PSC CEO Paul Famba stated that the change aims to “ensure uniformity and compliance in the public service.”
“The Constitution places the mantle of human resource management in the Public Service on the Public Service Commission. This includes ensuring the public service is efficient and effective, reviewing and making recommendations to the national government on conditions of service and qualifications for public officers,” Famba said.
He further explained that Section 70(1)(c) of the Public Service Commission Regulations, 2020, provides that, subject to the Constitution, any other relevant written law, or a specific government policy, “the mandatory retirement age in the public service shall be determined by the Commission for lecturers and research scientists serving in public universities, research institutions, or equivalent institutions, in consultation with these institutions.”
According to the circular, effective immediately, professors and research professors who are permanent and pensionable will retire at 70 years, or 75 years if living with a disability. Associate professors, associate research professors, senior lecturers, and senior research fellows in similar employment categories will retire at 65 years, or 70 years for those with a disability.
Lecturers, research fellows, assistant lecturers, tutorial fellows, and junior research fellows—whether permanent, pensionable, or contractual—will retire at 60 years, or 65 years if they have a disability. Research scientists in research institutions with a PhD will retire at 65 years, or 70 years if living with a disability. Those with a master’s degree and relevant publications will also retire at 65 years, with an extension to 70 years for persons living with a disability.
Non-teaching staff will retire at 60 years, while those registered as persons with disabilities are allowed to retire at 65 years, as provided under Regulation 70(i)(b) of the Public Service Commission Regulations.
Famba noted that this circular supersedes the earlier circular Ref. OP.CAB.2/7A dated March 20, 2009, as well as any other policy guidelines related to mandatory retirement in public institutions. He instructed all recipients to ensure strict compliance with the new regulations.
