TSC admits shortage of Science educators despite overall teacher surplus in Kenya

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has revealed that Kenya is grappling with a significant shortage of Science teachers.

Appearing before the National Assembly Education Committee on Wednesday, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia reported that despite having over 400,000 unemployed teachers across the nation, the commission is struggling to attract educators for Science subjects.

Macharia said many junior secondary schools (JSS) lack sufficient science teachers, and there are few applications for these positions.

“What stands out is the problem of science teachers. Based on our data, we will be able to determine the percentage of arts versus science teachers. However, it is clear that the majority are in the Arts,” she said.

In response, the committee, chaired by MP Julius Melly, expressed deep concern regarding the impact of this shortage on student education.

He noted the imbalance in staffing across subjects, highlighting, "Schools, especially JSS, are poorly staffed. The commission has not followed the rules of staffing; some subjects have excess staff while others lack teachers."

Kabondo Kasipul MP Eva Obara further raised concerns about the assignment of Arts teachers to Science classes, questioning the fairness of this practice. She pointed out that these teachers often just read the material to students, which undermines effective learning.

"We are aware of situations where Arts teachers are teaching science. They often just read the material back to students—are we being fair to our students? Are they truly learning anything?"

Nyamira Woman Representative Jerusha Momanyi added, “It is worrying that we don’t have enough science teachers. What can the country do to incentivise them?”

Marakwet West MP Timothy Toroitich requested clarification on the extent of the shortage, inquiring about the percentage of science teachers among the 400,000 unemployed teachers mentioned.

Macharia acknowledged the ongoing crisis of teacher shortages, emphasising, "I have never shied away from acknowledging the crisis of teacher shortages. We will recruit and redistribute teachers across all counties, but when we advertise for positions, we hardly receive applications for subjects like Physics."

She, however, assured the committee that they would conduct a thorough analysis to provide accurate statistics on the issue.

"We have communicated with the education ministry and have reached out to our schools multiple times regarding the lack of science teachers. Action needs to be taken," she said, reinforcing the urgency of the situation.

The CEO also reassured the committee that all 46,000 intern teachers would be employed, with an additional 20,000 teachers expected to be hired in January.

Additionally, the meeting addressed concerns about teacher promotions and preparations for Grade 9, as the first cohort of JSS learners is set to transition next year.

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera criticised the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for lacking a policy on teachers in acting positions, particularly for headmasters and principals. He emphasised the need for clear guidelines to address this issue.

“The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) lacks a policy regarding teachers in acting positions, specifically headmasters or principals,” he said.