Teacher deficit hits 98,261 as TSC boss warns of education crisis
The biggest issue for us is the budget. Currently, we only receive Sh1 billion, which can recruit just 6,000 teachers," Macharia said.
Kenya’s education system is grappling with an alarming shortage of teachers, with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) revealing a deficit of 98,261 educators.
The situation is expected to worsen by 2026 as the country prepares to implement Senior Secondary Schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia, in her testimony before the National Assembly’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), highlighted the urgent need for increased funding to address the widening teacher gap.
"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.
The current funding allocations are far from adequate to meet the growing demand for teachers, especially as the CBC rollout expands the curriculum and establishes new schools.
The TSC CEO warned that this underfunding risks jeopardizing the quality of education across the country, as schools struggle to keep up with the increasing need for qualified teachers.
The committee, chaired by Runyenjes MP Eric Karemba, expressed concern over the impact of teacher shortages, especially in rural and underserved regions.
MP John Chikati raised questions about the fairness in teacher distribution across counties, pointing out that areas like Kakamega continue to suffer from insufficient staffing.
"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.
Furthermore, frustrations were voiced by Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru, who questioned why teachers who graduated years ago remain jobless while recent graduates are employed almost immediately.
"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," Mejjadonk said.
Macharia responded by explaining that teacher staffing is governed by legal frameworks such as the Curriculum-Based Establishment (CBE) and national staffing norms.
"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.
In addition to the shortage, Macharia pointed out the challenge posed by the establishment of new schools without corresponding funding for recruitment.
She also highlighted the difficulty of finding adequately trained teachers in specialized CBC subjects, further exacerbating the crisis.
"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 warned.