TSC warns of worsening teacher scarcity prior to senior secondary school implementation.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is confronted with a critical teacher shortage, with the existing deficit reaching a staggering 98,261, a figure anticipated to increase by 2026 as the nation adopts Senior Secondary Schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
As TSC CEO Nancy Macharia noted, budget limitations are intensifying the situation, potentially hindering the hiring and advancement of teachers, which places additional pressure on Kenya’s educational system.
Macharia expressed these concerns during her testimony before the National Assembly’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), which is led by Runyenjes MP Eric Karemba. She called on lawmakers to allocate additional funds to tackle the escalating teacher deficit, warning that it could jeopardize the quality of education nationwide.
“We require Sh5 billion each year to promote teachers and guarantee there is no stagnation in their careers. In our records, we have over 300,000 trained unemployed teachers. The primary challenge for us is the budget. Presently, we receive only Sh1 billion, which is sufficient to recruit merely 6,000 teachers,” Macharia stated, emphasizing the gap between the demand and the available resources.
Macharia’s statement highlighted the difficulty of properly staffing schools in light of the rising need for teachers, particularly as new schools are established and the curriculum expands under CBC.
Limited opportunities.
She noted that the inadequate budget allocation has resulted in dissatisfaction among the teaching staff, with many qualified educators remaining stagnant due to a lack of promotion prospects.
The lawmakers also voiced concerns regarding equity in teacher deployment. Tongaren MP John Chikati inquired about the disproportionate distribution of teachers among counties, pointing out that areas such as Kakamega continue to experience shortages. He stressed the necessity for a more equitable distribution of teachers throughout the nation.
“This Committee requires clarification on why some counties are disadvantaged in teacher distribution. We must ensure equity in teacher deployment across all areas,” Chikati remarked. Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Majjadonk shared his frustration over the protracted hiring process for teachers who have been on the TSC register for a significant period.
“Why is it that a teacher who graduated a decade ago remains unemployed, while a recent graduate is hired immediately? TSC must prioritize fairness in hiring to maintain public confidence,” he argued.
In reply, Macharia clarified that teacher staffing is regulated by legal frameworks, including the Curriculum-Based Establishment (CBE) and national staffing norms, which dictate the allocation of teachers based on the needs of the curriculum. “Honourable Members, our staffing policy is influenced by curriculum necessities and national staffing norms. We have field officers assigned to oversee redeployments to ensure compliance with these guidelines,” she explained.
Macharia also highlighted the systemic obstacles facing TSC, such as the creation of new schools without adequate funding for staff recruitment, the absence of sufficiently trained teachers in CBC subjects, and the increasing demands in challenging regions.
She cautioned that neglecting to resolve these issues could jeopardize the right to quality education as guaranteed by Article 43 of the Constitution.
“We are encountering a possible crisis that may impact the right to quality education. We require additional funding to guarantee that every child has access to qualified educators,” Macharia stated.
The TSC’s request for a larger budget allocation arrives at a moment when the education sector is facing significant pressure to fulfill the requirements of a rising population and a changing curriculum in preparation for the senior school implementation next year.