According to Teacher Service Commission, TSC, 2021 annual report, the teachers’ shortage stood at 99,213 in primary and secondary schools. In the report, which was presented to the National Assembly, the figure represented 44,134 and 55, 079 primary and secondary schools.
Treasury CS Ukur Yatani recently released the 2022 budget estimations and funding of various state sectors and ministries.
This budget came earlier than usual due to the expected government transition and electioneering period. The members of Parliament had to discuss and approve the budgetary allocations before the official campaign period kicked in. This is why the budget was presented earlier.
CS Ukur Yatani indicated that the education sector had received one of the biggest budgets ever far bearing other departments. This is a result of its massive workforce that comprises over 300,000 teachers serving under the Teachers Recruitment and Management body TSC.
A few years ago, TSC adopted an almost predictable employment strategy of employing 5000 new teachers on permanent and pensionable terms while additionally hiring about 6,000 intern teachers who serve under the same TSC. This makes about 11,000 total recruits annually.
This additional group of teachers is part of the remedies adopted by the government to curb the ever-widening teacher shortage in Kenya occasioned by the 100% transition to secondary school and free primary education.
At the moment, the student-teacher ratio is too overwhelming on the part of the teacher. The recently released budget indicates that over 2Billion shillings were allocated to facilitate the hiring of 5000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
This means that any time from now, TSC will advertise the jobs and stations, and qualified trained teachers will be up and about seeking to net these vacancies
At the time of the recruitment exercise, the added advantage is given to the serving Interns because they are normally awarded extra marks in the marking scheme. In last year’s recruitment, teacher interns serving at the time scooped a whooping 30 marks making it almost impossible to beat an intern.
This made it possible for most interns successful in the interview and subsequently the recruitment exercise. TSC advertised 2,945 vacancies in January this year to replace teachers who left the service due to natural attrition.
