Dr Nancy Macharia who is the TSC CEO. Will intern teachers be employed on permanent and pensionable terms, this year? That is is the big question in the minds of the teachers.
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia.

You are probably wondering what next after training as a teacher. Well. If the question as to ‘How can I be employed by TSC?’ is lingering in your mind and you have no answers to it, then here is the right place to get a clear guideline.

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, is the body that has the mandate of employing all teachers to public schools in Kenya. The Commission, among other responsibilities, has the sole mandate of registering all teachers upon graduation.  TSC has set recruitment requirements for both primary and secondary teachers in Kenya that must be met before one is employed.

Applicants applying for posts in Primary schools must be holders of a minimum qualification of a P1 certificate. Interested candidates should apply to the TSC County Director, in the County where a vacancy has been advertised and submit all relevant academic and professional documents. Successful candidates are deployed to serve in any part of the country.

Applicants applying for posts in Secondary Schools must be holders of a minimum of Diploma in Education Certificate. Interested candidates should apply to the Secretary, Board of Management of the school where a vacancy has been advertised and submit a copy of the application to the TSC County Director.

Requirements for you to be employed/ Recruited by TSC 

  • You must be a Kenyan citizen
  • You must be 45 years of age and below
  • You must be registered as a teacher as per Section 23 of the Teachers Service Commission Act 2012. Those without registration certificates must attach a printout of the online application /copy of payment receipt of the application for registration
  • You must have original Professional and Academic Certificates

Minimum TSCRequirements for employment of P1 teacher

Primary teachers are usually employed through selection. During the selection day one should carry the following original documents to sub-county selection panel;

  1. National Identity card.
  2. CPE/KCPE certificate (including first attempt certificate if one repeated exam).
  3. PTE certificate.
  4. School/college leaving certificates.

Candidates without academic and professional certificates must show evidence of having applied for confirmation from KNEC and it is the owners of the concerned teacher to follow up with KNEC within 14 days.

See also; Latest TSC recruitment guidelines and marking schemes for teachers: TSC News

Sub county selection panel shall include the following;

  1. Sub-County Director – Chairperson
  2. TSC Sub-County Human Resource Officer – Secretary
  3. All zonal Curriculum Support Officer – Members

Minimum TSC Requirement for Secondary school teacher

A secondary school teacher can either be a graduate or a diploma holder

Graduate Teachers

  • A minimum mean grade of a C+ at KCSE and a minimum mean grade of C+ in each of the two teaching subjects or a minimum of 2 principles and 1 subsidiary pass at ‘A’ Level.
  • Bachelor of education degree with 2 teaching subjects
  • Bachelor of Science with education or Arts Degree with education with two teaching subjects

Diploma Teachers

  • Diploma in Education from a recognized Teacher Training Institution
  • A minimum grade of C+ at KCSE and with at least C+ OR credit pass in the two teaching subjects or a minimum of 1 principle and 2 subsidiaries at A-level.

Diploma teachers who graduated in 2008 or before with mean grade C plain and subject grades of C plain qualify for consideration.

Read also; Latest  TSC recruitment guidelines for secondary school teachers; Marking schemes

Minimum TSC Requirements for Technical Teachers

  • Applicants must have a minimum mean grade of C+ at KCSE or a minimum of 1 principle and 2 subsidiaries at A-level.
  • Bachelor of Education Technology degree ( Bed Tech) OR
  • Bachelor of Science in any relevant technical subject/course
  • Higher Diploma in a technical course
  • A Diploma in a technical course

One should have a Diploma from Kenya Technical Teachers College or Post Graduate Diploma in education ( PDGE) from a recognized university.

For TVET Institutions, the applicant must have a minimum of a higher diploma or degree in Technical education.

  • Applicants with a mean grade of C- and have applied for technical subjects in TVET institutions but have progressed through certificate, diploma, higher diploma, or degree qualify for employment in TVET institutions.
  • Persons With Disability – Hearing impaired and blind, are admitted for training with a mean grade C plain and C plain in two teaching subjects thus eligible for employment .
  • For applicants trained in Special Needs Education; KSL and Braille are considered as teaching subjects i.e Biology/ KSL, Geography / Braille hence eligible for employment.
  • Candidates whose training is in subjects that are not in the Kenyan Curriculum don’t qualify for employment irrespective of undertaking a Post Graduate Diploma in education and enhancement.
  • Applicants with Economics/Accounting, Social Education, and Ethics can apply for business studies and CRE/IRE vacancies respectively.
  • Diploma teachers with English /other subjects qualify for employment as Teacher/Literature teachers.
  • All applicants must have studied the two teaching subjects at KCSE except for agriculture, business studies, Home Science, and computer. For those who did not study business studies and computer, one should attain a minimum of a C+ in mathematics in KCSE. For those who did not study agriculture and home science, one should have attained a minimum of C+ in biology at KCSE.
  • Graduate teachers should have studied a minimum of 8-course units in each teaching subjects.
  • Candidates presenting enhancements certificates/ transcripts from recognized institutions qualify for employment.
  • Applicants previously employed under contract and whose were terminated due to inadequate units in teaching subjects and have since obtained enhancement certificates are eligible to apply.
  • Applicants working in other government departments who meet the requirements are eligible to apply.

TSC Filing of a complaint Form in case of Dissatisfaction during recruitment exercise

Any candidate who is dissatisfied with the whole exercise of employment should complain immediately in writing to the TSC county director and a copy sent to TSC headquarters within a period of not more than 7 days after the selection exercise. TSC county director will analyze such complaints and submit a report to TSC headquarters with necessary recommendations.

TSC Contacts Address and website

For detailed information on available vacancies in sub-counties and schools/institutions applicants are advised to:

  • Visit the TSC Website www.tsc.go.ke
  • Send an Emailto; info@tsc.go.ke
  • Call TSC through; 020 289 200
  • Visit the TSC office at the County or Sub-county of their choice.