TSC warns of worsening teacher shortage ahead of senior secondary school rollout

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is facing a severe teacher shortage, with the current deficit standing at a staggering 98,261, a number expected to grow by 2026 as the country implements Senior Secondary Schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

According to TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, the situation is exacerbated by budget constraints that could impede the recruitment and promotion of teachers, further straining Kenya’s education system.

Macharia raised these concerns during her appearance before the National Assembly’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) chaired by Runyenjes MP Eric Karemba.

She urged lawmakers to allocate more funds to address the growing teacher deficit, which she warned could undermine the quality of education across the country.

“We need Sh5 billion annually to promote teachers and ensure there is no stagnation in their careers. We have over 300,000 trained unemployed teachers in our register. The biggest issue for us is the budget. Currently, we only receive Sh1 billion, which can recruit just 6,000 teachers,” Macharia said, highlighting the disparity between the need and available resources.

Macharia’s testimony underscored the challenge of adequately staffing schools despite the increasing demand for teachers, especially as new schools open and the curriculum expands under the CBC.

Limited opportunities

She added that the insufficient budget allocation has led to frustration within the teaching force, with many deserving educators remaining stagnant due to limited promotion opportunities.

The lawmakers also raised concerns about the fairness in teacher deployment. Tongaren MP John Chikati questioned the uneven distribution of teachers across counties, with regions like Kakamega continuing to face shortages.

He emphasised the need for more equitable teacher allocation across the country.

“This Committee needs clarity on why some counties are disadvantaged in teacher allocations. We must ensure fairness in teacher deployment across all regions,” Chikati said.

Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Majjadonk expressed frustration over the delays in employing teachers who have been on the TSC register for years.

“Why is it that a teacher who graduated ten years ago remains jobless, while a recent graduate is employed immediately? TSC must consider fairness in employment to uphold public trust,” he said.

In response, Macharia explained that teacher staffing is governed by legal frameworks, including the Curriculum-Based Establishment (CBE) and national staffing norms, which guide the distribution of teachers based on curriculum needs.

“Honourable Members, our staffing policy is driven by curriculum needs and national staffing norms. We have field officers mandated to oversee redeployments to ensure adherence to these guidelines,” she said.

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Macharia also pointed out the systemic challenges facing TSC, including the establishment of new schools without corresponding funding for staff recruitment, the lack of adequately trained teachers in CBC subjects, and the growing demands in hardship regions.

She further warned that failure to address these challenges could undermine the right to quality education as guaranteed by Article 43 of the Constitution.

“We are facing a potential crisis that could affect the right to quality education. We need more funding to ensure that every child has access to qualified teachers,” Macharia said.

The TSC’s call for increased budget allocation comes at a time when the education sector is under intense pressure to meet the demands of a growing population and an evolving curriculum ahead of the senior school rollout next year.