TSC Gets Sh1 Billion for Retooling 70,000 Teachers for Grade 9 Transition.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to retool 70,000 teachers across Public, Private, and Special Needs Schools to prepare for the upcoming transition of the first cohort under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to Grade 9 in January.
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, addressing over 15,000 Head Teachers at the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) conference in Mombasa, announced the allocation of Sh1 billion by the National Assembly for this retooling exercise.
The multi-agency training will commence immediately following the conclusion of the ongoing KCSE exams.
“Details of the retooling exercise have been released, and the multi-agency training will kick off after the end of the ongoing KCSE,” said the TSC CEO.
In 2023, TSC successfully retooled 60,642 teachers from Grades 2 and 7. Last year, the commission promoted 36,000 teachers following government budget allocations, and it plans to continue promoting more teachers within the current financial year, prioritizing completion before the start of the first school term.
Dr. Macharia encouraged teachers from Special Needs Schools to apply, noting a shortage of applicants despite lowered application requirements.
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Dr. Macharia affirmed that the commission would complete the recruitment of 20,000 intern teachers, who are expected to report in January. Additionally, TSC is finalizing the conversion of 46,000 teacher interns to Permanent and Pensionable terms.
She urged teachers to remain dedicated, emphasizing that Grade 9 will set a pivotal examination that will determine student admissions to senior schools.
Addressing Increased Responsibilities
TSC recognized the additional responsibilities on Head Teachers under CBC. Dr. Macharia called on the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and KEPSHA to verify that these responsibilities were included in the Memorandum of Understanding submitted to the commission for the 2025/2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Dr. Macharia highlighted TSC’s efforts toward automation and live-streaming to improve service delivery and curriculum engagement.
“By the end of this year, the commission will have trained 1000 teachers in lessons live streaming. We must therefore encourage our teachers to embrace technology and ICT integration in curriculum delivery,” she stated.
Julius Melly, from the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education, Research, and Technology, advocated for integrating digital learning across schools with increased ICT infrastructure.
He noted that quality education today requires advanced technological tools and that Parliament is working to support TSC and relevant ministries in developing a legal framework to promote remote learning.
“The adoption of technology in education is transforming how knowledge is accessed, delivered, and personalised across the globe and, more importantly, in Kenya.”
Melly emphasized that digital literacy aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030, aiming to foster a knowledge-based society with equitable access to quality education.
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With CBC’s emphasis on practical skills and digital literacy, he advocated for digital literacy to be integrated across all school subjects, making it a mandatory component for teachers.
KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu advocated for additional remuneration due to teachers’ increased responsibilities and the conversion of Head Teachers to Principals of Comprehensive Schools.
He stressed that added responsibilities necessitate corresponding financial adjustments to ensure fair compensation for teachers.
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