Kenya Plans to Send Unemployed Teachers Abroad to Address Unemployment.
With over 400,000 trained but unemployed teachers in Kenya, the government is developing a strategy to address this surplus. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced plans to enable qualified teachers to work abroad, reducing unemployment among educators. Most unemployed teachers hold P1 certificates, which have become outdated in Kenya’s current system. By facilitating opportunities abroad, the government hopes to place these skilled educators in international classrooms where English-speaking teachers are in demand.
CS Ogamba outlined the government’s goal of having Kenya officially recognized as an English-speaking nation, allowing Kenyan teachers to gain eligibility for overseas teaching jobs. Addressing the Senate, Ogamba explained that this initiative could create international teaching opportunities for many unemployed teachers, particularly those who have been seeking jobs for over a decade. If the Senate approves this plan, it will offer a fresh approach to reducing the rising number of jobless teachers in Kenya.
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The data from recent recruitment rounds underscores Kenya’s teacher unemployment crisis. In the latest hiring cycle, 219,311 teachers applied for only 4,000 available post-primary teaching positions. Meanwhile, October 2024 figures from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) revealed an even greater demand:
- Junior Schools: 144,177 applications for 39,500 permanent roles
- Primary Schools: 93,646 applications for 6,000 roles
- Secondary Schools: 76,294 applications for 450 roles
These numbers reflect a pressing imbalance between job-seeking teachers and limited positions. Kenya’s transition to a demand-driven employment model in 1998 aimed to manage wage expenditures but has contributed to a growing teacher surplus. According to TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia, the number of unemployed teachers continues to increase, surpassing 290,000 in 2018 and climbing steadily since.
Senators expressed concerns about the teacher export strategy. Some worry this approach reflects the challenges Kenya faces in creating sustainable employment for its teachers. Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ highlighted the contrast between unstaffed classrooms and unemployed teachers, underscoring the need for a comprehensive solution. With Kenya’s 100% transition policy from primary to secondary school, the teacher shortage has intensified due to rising enrollment, new schools, and expanded facilities. The TSC’s 2019–2023 strategic plan estimated a growing annual teacher shortage, with figures illustrating the trend:
Year | Estimated Teacher Shortage |
2019 | 99,081 |
2020 | 98,448 |
2021 | 97,826 |
2022 | 97,214 |
2023 | 96,612 |
CS Ogamba cited significant financial constraints as a barrier to managing teacher unemployment. The withdrawal of the 2024 Finance Bill, due to public pressure, resulted in Sh346 billion in budget cuts, impacting educational funding. Originally, the government anticipated that the Finance Bill would generate Sh347 billion by June 2025 to bridge a Sh3.92 trillion budget shortfall. Compounding this issue, the Kenya Revenue Authority fell short of its Sh2.5 trillion revenue target for the fiscal year ending June 2024, reaching only Sh2.22 trillion and leaving a Sh276 billion deficit.
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With limited resources, the government has faced challenges in hiring enough teachers to meet demand, particularly in junior secondary schools. Public schools across Kenya struggle with staff shortages, making the teacher export plan a potential solution to place qualified teachers where they are needed, both within and beyond Kenya’s borders.
Kenya’s plan to send unemployed teachers abroad could offer a promising response to its surplus of trained educators. This strategy presents new opportunities for Kenya’s qualified teachers and could relieve pressure on the education system. With careful implementation, this initiative may not only help teachers find fulfilling work abroad but also pave the way for balanced employment within Kenya.
Kenya Plans to Send Unemployed Teachers Abroad to Address Unemployment.
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