TSC on Teacher Shortage.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is in the process of recruiting more teachers in a bid to address the shortage level for teachers in the country.
According to TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, there are plans by the commission to recruit 11,000 teachers to replace retirees. In addition, to address the shortage, 1,594 teachers will serve an extension of two years beyond their period of retiring.
Macharia indicates that the country suffers a shortage of 114,581 teachers. Reliable sources indicate that among the 11,000 teachers that the commission seeks to hire, 6,000 will serve as interns. 5,000 will serve under permanent and pensionable terms.
Consequently, the Kenyan government has made an additional budgetary allocation of Sh1.2 billion for the 2023/2024 financial year purposely for the recruitment of 20,000 interns as a temporary strategy for dealing with the teacher shortage crisis in the country.
Notably, the commission made it possible for teachers who were supposed to retire in 2020 and 2021 to extend their retirement period for a period of two years in contractual terms. Macharia urges teachers to remain objective and focus on their deliverables even as the effects of the pandemic still continue to affect the education sector.
For the same reason, in July this year, while launching the 2023-2027 strategic plan, Macharia revealed the commission’s plans to recruit more teachers to address the shortage of teachers in the country.
In her speech, she indicates that to fully address the teacher crisis in the country, the commission needs an additional Sh134.5 billion.
In addition, according to Macharia, the teacher student ratio currently stands at 1:40 and is the scenario is different in urban areas as well as other informal settlements in the country.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommendations, the ideal teacher student ratio is 25 students per teacher in primary school level.
TSC on Teacher Shortage.