Kenya: Teachers Service Commission decides to recruit 11,574 teachers

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Kenya has decided to recruit 11,574 teachers and will promote 1,000 others in a move that is aimed at easing the chronic staffing crisis in public schools, according to a news report by Daily Nation.

Secondary schools will be the main beneficiaries of the new teachers, with a focus placed on supporting the 100 percent transition from primary to secondary school. Primary schools will have the biggest number of teachers hired to replace those who have exited the service.

The new teachers will be hired at a time when the government is closely watching the spread of COVID-19 to make decisions on schools reopening.

Additional teachers will be required in the new dispensation that will see learners taught in smaller groups to observe social distancing.

Of the total number, 5,000 will be new vacancies, which will be added to the current teaching force of 337,432, according to the latest data.

Secondary schools will absorb 4,000 of these. The additional staff will still fall short of the dream target of a 40:1 pupil-teacher ratio in public schools, many of which struggle with congestion. This has been blamed for poor curriculum delivery that ultimately affects learning outcomes.

In a new strategy that will be welcomed by teachers in primary schools, TSC will promote and redeploy to secondary schools 1,000 tutors who have attained higher qualifications while in service but have stagnated in their job grades.