The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has reportedly commenced talks with the Head of State concerning the recruitment of 58,000 teachers in this fiscal year.
If this happens then the recruitment will correspond with His Excellency President William Ruto’s campaign promise.
President William Ruto had promised Kenyans that he would employ 116,000 teachers within two years to address the current teacher shortage in public schools across the country.
This will be the most significant recruitment exercise of all time and raise the total number of teachers on the government payroll to 400,000.
This was revealed by the Teachers Service Commission Chief Executive Officer Dr Nancy Macharia during the celebrations of World Teachers Day that were held at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi.
However, the TSC CEO did not spill any further information regarding the timelines for the recruitment.
“Consultations are ongoing with the Presidency on teacher recruitment and we shall be giving updates on the progress as we go along. Be assured that the Kenyan teacher can only expect good things going forward. We shall be telling you how to go on with this recruitment as per the Kenya Kwanza Charter,” said Dr Nancy Macharia.
In the education charter signed with stakeholders of education in June, President Ruto committed to ensuring that the teachers’ shortage of around 116,000 is addressed within two financial years by employing more than 58,000 teachers at a cost of Kshs. 25 billion per year.
The challenges faced by unemployed teachers were a key issue used during the last campaign and the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Chairperson Kahi Indimuli recently challenged the Head of State to fulfil his promise.
Kahi said that public schools were hugely understaffed and Boards of Management have had to keep hiring teachers to address the shortage in the affected subject combinations.
“The President gave me a signed copy of that charter. I’d like to remind him that he promised to employ half of the shortfall in his first financial year,” added Kahi.
On his part, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers Secretary-General Akello Misori called for a solution to be found regarding the teacher shortage in schools.
In the most recent TSC recruitment drive, more than 356,000 jobless teachers applied for more than 14,460 vacancies that had been advertised.
Secondary school vacancies had the highest number of applicants with 219,311 teachers applying for the 4,000 advertised vacancies.
In primary schools, out of the 1,000 advertised vacancies the Commission received 136,833 applications.
Mr Kahi and Mr Misori both implored the government to provide a conducive environment for teachers to do their job saying that insecurity had forced teachers to stay away from insecure areas.
Regarding reforms on the curriculum, Dr Macharia lauded President Ruto for appointing eight (8) classroom teachers to the Presidential Working Party on Education reforms last week.
The following are the teachers appointed to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms:
- Mr Anthony Cheruiyot Sitienei
- Dr Margaret Chege
- Mr Peter Tabichi
- Ms Jane Kamiti
- Ms Jacinta Ngure
- Mr Bernard Kariuki Njoroge
- Ms Virginia Wahome
- Ms Salome Eyangan.
Dr Reuben Nthamburi, the Director of Quality assurance represented the TSC Secretariat.
“I urge all teachers and officials of teacher associations and unions to make presentations to ensure that our country’s education sector remains on the right trajectory. The Commission is fully prepared to comply with the recommendations of the Working Party as would be directed by the Head of State,” said Dr Nancy Macharia.
According to Kahi, KESSHA will give their views and advice to the Presidential Working Party.
“The voice of the teacher will be important. We’ll not shy away. The CBC is the only way we can turn around the pyramid so that the base is at the top,” said Kahi Indimuli.
In his view, the clamour for top boarding schools has led to congestion in the same institutions.
During the event, 300 teachers got recognized for their outstanding performance in teaching and management.