TSC set to recruit new batch of Sh8,000 teachers

The Government is recruiting some 8,672 new teachers for public primary and secondary schools.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) said the additional teachers will anchor the full transition of learners from primary to secondary schools.

Recruitment data from the TSC shows that more secondary school teachers are being hired to support the increased student enrollment occasioned by the free day secondary education.

A total of 7,672 secondary school teachers and another 1,000 for primary schools are being employed to fix the teacher gap.

This will bring to 96,149 the new teacher deficit, down from the current gap of 104,821.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia said the current 312,306 primary and secondary school teachers are operating amid a huge deficit, making teaching and learning difficult.

TSC data shows that some 40,972 secondary school teachers and 63,849 primary teachers are needed to fill the gap.

The teacher shortage problem dates back to 2012 when the deficit stood at 36,536. The gap widened to 57,005 in 2017, depicting an annual average growth of 9.37 per cent.

TSC has now called for applications and said that persons wishing to apply for the jobs must be 43 years or below, and must be registered with the employer.

Those applying for primary teaching jobs must be holders of P1 certificates, while those seeking secondary school jobs must have diploma qualifications and above.

Deadline

“All interested candidates should submit their applications to the respective county directors and Boards of Management not later than May 25, 2018,” said Ms Macharia.

The recruitment comes weeks after Macharia admitted that the current teaching force was overburdened by the huge student enrollment. The Government rolled out free day secondary education this year, pushing enrollment figures up by some 200,000 students.

Under the programme, day school fees is fully catered for while boarding schools charge between Sh40,000 and Sh53,000.

The National Assembly approved the Sh26 billion budgetary request by TSC. According to TSC, the money would be used to hire 69,000 teacher interns and some 20,000 new teachers.

National Assembly Education Committee chairman Julius Melly yesterday said his committee would ensure the required number of teachers is hired.