TSC to Recruit 36,000 Teachers by December

TSC to Recruit 36,000 Teachers by December.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to recruit 36,000 teachers this year, with 18,000 being hired on a one-year internship basis and the remaining 18,000 on permanent and pensionable terms. This initiative aims to enhance staffing in schools and mitigate unemployment among trained teachers.

Hon. Julius Melly, the Tinderet Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Committee on Education, has urged the approval of a Kshs. 382.3 billion budget ceiling for TSC in the 2025/2026 Budget Policy Statement.

While addressing the Hon. Gladys Boss-led Liaison Committee, he emphasized that this funding would facilitate the recruitment of intern and permanent teachers and promote 20,000 existing teachers.

Melly also pointed out the need for additional funding in the education sector, including Kshs. 6.3 billion for university staff Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), Kshs. 20.9 billion for TVET student capitation, scholarships, and loans, and Kshs. 890 million for constructing TVET institutions in underserved constituencies.

TSC has been making efforts to fill teacher shortages, particularly in preparation for Grade 9 learners transitioning to senior school in January. To address gaps, TSC had already advertised 8,707 replacement slots in November last year.

This recruitment, under permanent and pensionable terms, includes 5,862 positions in primary schools, 21 in junior schools, and 2,824 in secondary schools. The Commission has begun issuing appointment letters to successful candidates, with 1,645 junior secondary school (JSS) intern teachers securing replacement jobs in secondary schools.

Addressing Junior Secondary Staffing Needs

The Commission continues to replace JSS intern teachers as part of the 20,000 recruited and posted in January. Since 2022, TSC has employed 76,928 teachers for junior secondary to handle Grades 7, 8, and 9.

However, TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia indicated that a total of 149,350 teachers are needed for these three JSS classes.

Of the currently employed, 39,550 JSS teachers were confirmed on permanent and pensionable terms in January 2025, alongside 8,378 P1 teachers deployed in the past two years and 9,000 teachers recruited under permanent terms.

To address shortages in science and technical subjects, TSC prioritized recruiting intern teachers with science backgrounds.

The recruitment of 20,000 JSS intern teachers in January alone cost Kshs. 4.8 billion. Meanwhile, TSC has been actively retooling teachers under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and Competency-Based Assessment (CBA), having trained 229,292 teachers since April 2019, including 60,642 JSS teachers between May 2023 and November 2024.

In April, TSC plans to deploy 6,000 primary school teachers to junior secondary schools to further address teacher shortages. Online applications for this deployment are currently ongoing.

Since 2019, the Commission has been deploying P1 teachers to secondary schools as a form of promotion, following complaints of stagnation from teachers who upgraded their qualifications.

Read Also: Education Takes Center Stage in Ksh4.3 Trillion 2025/26 Budget.

Between 2019 and 2021, 1,000 P1 teachers were deployed each year, while from 2022 to 2024, approximately 8,378 teachers transitioned to JSS to serve the first CBC cohorts.

Concerns Over Deployment Criteria

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has urged TSC to reconsider its stringent academic requirements for deploying P1 teachers to junior secondary schools.

Instead of requiring a degree in secondary education and specific subject qualifications, KNUT suggests retooling PTE teachers to enable them to teach Grades 7, 8, and 9. Critics argue that many JSS teachers struggle with subjects like Music, Art and Craft, and Physical Education, which P1 teachers are well-equipped to handle.

The deployment of 6,000 primary school teachers will prioritize subject clusters to ensure a balanced teaching workforce.

TSC to Recruit 36,000 Teachers by December.

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