Kakamega, Bungoma get highest share of TSC internship vacancies, as Isiolo, Lamu receive least slots
National Secretary of the Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association, Ndung’u Wangenye, protested the allocations, calling for affirmative action in favour of marginalised regions.
Marginalised communities have once again found themselves shortchanged in the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) latest recruitment, with counties such as Isiolo, Lamu and Samburu receiving the fewest internship teacher slots despite long-standing staffing gaps.
On August 25, the commission announced 20,000 junior school internship vacancies, with applications set to close on September 9. A distribution list now shows that Western and Eastern regions received the bulk of the allocations, with Kakamega and Bungoma leading.
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Kakamega was allocated 1,187 slots, Bungoma 1,182, Homa Bay 1,058 and Kitui 925. Nairobi got 685 vacancies, Nakuru 782 and Siaya 741. On the lower end, Isiolo received just 87 positions, Lamu 95, Samburu 124, Mandera 240, Garissa 139, Turkana 289 and Wajir 239.
Acting TSC Chief Executive Officer Eveleen Mitei defended the formula, saying it was guided by the number of junior school classes as of June and the staffing levels in each county and sub-county.
“The commission ensured that areas with higher demand for teachers received proportionately more vacancies,” Mitei said.
She added that the commission also ensured fairness by applying uniform criteria across all counties and sub-counties.
“Priority was given to counties with higher staffing gaps, including marginalised regions. The aim is to give as many children as possible equitable access to education and qualified teachers,” she said.
According to her, during the 2025/26 recruitment exercise, preference will go to teachers of science, technical subjects, languages and humanities.
“The reason is to address the shortage of teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) while also balancing other learning areas,” she said.
In the Mt Kenya region, Murang’a was allocated 527 slots, Kiambu 664, Kirinyaga 242, Nyeri 332, Nyandarua 345 and Laikipia 271. In the Rift Valley, Uasin Gishu got 504, Nandi 603, Kericho 424, Bomet 422, Baringo 499, Narok 691, Elgeyo Marakwet 411 and West Pokot 491.
In Eastern, Machakos will receive 807, Makueni 799, Meru 784, Embu 352 and Tharaka Nithi 495. However, the allocation revealed disparities within counties. For instance, Chiakariga sub-county in Tharaka Nithi alone was allocated 210 teachers, more than the entire allocations for Isiolo, Samburu and several other counties combined. In Kitui, which received 925 slots, sub-counties such as Mwingi Central got 80, Mutomo 86 and Kyuso 68.
In the Coast region, Kilifi will get 797 teachers, Kwale 492, Mombasa 192, Taita Taveta 156 and Tana River 169. In Nyanza, Kisumu was allocated 681, Kisii 682, Nyamira 429 and Migori 698.
The sub-county distribution highlighted even sharper inequalities. Kibish in Turkana will receive only five teachers, while Eldas South in Wajir was allocated just two, despite severe shortages in the region.
National Secretary of the Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association, Ndung’u Wangenye, protested the allocations, calling for affirmative action in favour of marginalised regions.
“We call for affirmative action to ensure Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (Asal) are given priority during the recruitment of teachers. The distribution of teachers appears skewed in favour of some regions, leaving Asals, where the shortage is most acute, further disadvantaged,” he said.
“Addressing the imbalance is critical in ensuring equity in education across the country.”
The allocations come as the TSC grapples with a deepening human resource crisis. In April, former CEO Nancy Macharia told the National Assembly Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee that the commission was facing a shortage of 98,261 teachers, a figure expected to rise with the start of Senior School under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“While we are grateful for the Sh1 billion allocated towards teacher promotions, the amount is only sufficient to promote 6,000 teachers out of a force of more than 500,000,” Macharia told MPs.
She warned that, “This continues to demoralise deserving teachers and affect service in our schools.”
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