TSC Hires 76,000 Teachers, Retrains 70,000
The Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has dismissed concerns about teacher shortages in Junior Secondary Schools, highlighting that 76,000 teachers had been hired and 70,000 retrained by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
He confirmed that every JSS has adequate teachers and learning materials, with books provided on a one-to-one ratio for all subjects.
In December, TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia reported that grades 7 to 9 require 149,350 teachers. The government has so far employed 76,928 teachers, meeting 51.5 percent of the demand. This leaves a deficit of 72,422 teachers, representing 48.5 percent of the need.
The shortage has heavily impacted junior secondary schools, particularly in science-based subjects. While addressing the National Assembly Education Committee, Macharia noted that the lack of teachers in sciences is a critical concern.
Education experts caution that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which depends on specialised personnel, smaller classes, and subject-specific teachers, may fail to achieve its objectives if the issue persists.
The CBC’s emphasis on hands-on learning and individualised attention highlights the importance of addressing this shortfall. The current staff deficit has led to overburdened teachers, large class sizes, and an overall strain on schools.
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Despite these recruitment efforts, over 350,000 trained teachers remain unemployed. Two-thirds of the teaching gap remains unfilled, raising concerns about meeting the CBC’s goals.
Macharia acknowledged this challenge, stating that hiring efforts will continue as resources permit. She assured the Education Committee that the government is prioritising science subjects, where the shortage is most acute.
If the staffing problem is not resolved, experts warn that the CBC’s transformative goals may remain out of reach. Addressing this deficit is vital to ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all students in Kenya.
TSC Hires 76,000 Teachers, Retrains 70,000.
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