Are You Qualified for TSC Deployment Abroad? Key Qualifications for Teachers.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced that 354,234 teachers currently unemployed will soon be eligible to apply for international teaching jobs.
According to TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, requests for Kenyan teachers have been received from 17 countries, including the USA, Ireland, Germany, France, Canada, and several nations in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Despite these opportunities, stringent qualifications must be met before Kenyan teachers are approved to work abroad. Dr. Macharia explained that the Commission has developed a policy framework and guidelines tailored to meet the demands of foreign governments seeking Kenyan educators.
Demand for Kenyan Teachers Across the Globe
Research and consultations conducted by TSC in collaboration with the State Department of Diaspora Affairs have revealed a high demand for Kenyan teachers in specific regions.
Dr. Macharia noted that teachers specializing in English are highly sought after in the USA, Ireland, and Germany, while Kiswahili teachers are needed in South Africa, China, Botswana, and France.
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Other countries like Qatar require Islamic religious education and science teachers, while nations like Kuwait, Japan, and the UAE are in need of special needs education specialists.
The policy framework, developed in response to these findings, aims to strategically match Kenyan teachers with international teaching opportunities while ensuring they meet all necessary qualifications and job-specific requirements.
TSC Eligibility Requirements for Teaching Abroad
To qualify for international teaching opportunities under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) framework, teachers must meet specific criteria:
- Citizenship and Education Background
- Be a Kenyan citizen.
- Hold a degree, diploma, or certificate in education from a recognized institution.
- TSC Registration
- Be registered with the Teachers Service Commission.
- Constitutional and Host Country Requirements
- Fulfill the provisions of Chapter Six of the Kenyan Constitution.
- Satisfy additional qualifications set by the host country, including specialized training, professional certifications, and language proficiency.
- Specialized Skills
- Teachers must possess relevant skills for targeted subjects like English, Kiswahili, Islamic religious education, special needs education, or science, depending on the host country’s demand.
Orientation and Training
The TSC will organize an orientation program for successful candidates, addressing:
- Security and medical considerations.
- Cultural sensitivity and language skills.
- Host country-specific educational practices.
- Career guidance and terms of engagement, including remuneration and benefits.
Teachers employed by TSC on permanent and pensionable terms will need to resign from their current roles to take up these opportunities. Upon their return, they will not be guaranteed their previous positions but may reapply for available vacancies.
Formalizing the Labour Export Program
The policy framework seeks to formalize the engagement of Kenyan teachers working abroad to safeguard their interests.
It emphasizes collaboration with host countries, promotes global educational cooperation, and aims to enhance lifelong learning opportunities for Kenyan educators.
Additionally, the framework prioritizes partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Labour, to streamline the labour export process.
The TSC will maintain a comprehensive, secure database to manage information about teachers available for international teaching opportunities.
This database will support real-time data entry, provide insights through feedback mechanisms, and ensure a standardized application process. The framework will be reviewed every three years or as needed to reflect emerging challenges and opportunities.
Addressing Unemployment Amidst a Teacher Deficit
While Kenya faces a significant shortage of teachers, the government has struggled to absorb all qualified and registered educators.
In October 2024, TSC received over 314,117 applications for just 46,000 advertised positions, underscoring the high unemployment rate among teachers. The staffing gap is most pronounced in junior schools, where shortages have persisted since their inception two years ago.
Labour Migration as a Government Priority
President William Ruto’s administration has identified labour migration as a critical strategy for job creation.
In July, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi flagged off a group of Kenyan teachers heading to the United States under a private placement agency. The government, through the TSC, now seeks to formalize and scale up such initiatives.
The new policy highlights the benefits of international teaching opportunities, which include professional growth, exposure to diverse educational systems, and the generation of foreign exchange through remittances.
However, critics have raised concerns about the government’s inability to create jobs locally and the potential for exploitation in certain regions, particularly the Middle East.
Despite these challenges, the TSC remains committed to preparing Kenyan teachers for the global labour market, equipping them with the skills and competencies needed to thrive in diverse educational environments.
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