The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced plans to deploy thousands of secondary school teachers to junior secondary schools (JSS) starting next year.
The initiative is aimed at addressing the acute shortage of teachers in TSC, while the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) continues to be implemented.
The national chairperson of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET), Omboko Milemba, revealed at the KUPPET Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) in Vihiga that the union has been trying to block the induction of secondary school teachers into JSS. However, these efforts have failed. Despite TSC’s initial denial of these plans, sources confirm that the Commission is finalising agreements to deploy over 20,000 secondary school teachers into JSS by 2025.
In anticipation of this rollout, TSC has sent a memorandum to regional, district, sub-district and secondary school principals.
The memorandum, signed by TSC CEO, Dr. Nancy Macharia, mandated the registration of secondary school teachers employed after 2015 to facilitate their deployment to JSS. School principals have been asked to submit names of qualified teachers to sub-county principals by October 18, 2024.
In addition, the Commission has already recruited 20,000 JSC teachers on probation, with these teachers expected to commence work in January 2025 on a one-year contract.
The implementation of the CBC has led to a surplus of staff in secondary schools, as there will be no more form one classes from January 2025. To manage this surplus, TSC plans to place these unemployed teachers in JSS near their current work stations.
The placement will be determined by subject combinations, generally referred to as subject groups.
In addition, TSC said a limited number of primary school teachers will also be deployed to handle grades 7, 8 and 9.
Since 2019, TSC has been addressing the teacher shortage in JSS by deploying P1 teachers who have updated their academic qualifications.
Between 2019 and 2021, 1,000 P1 teachers were deployed to secondary schools each year. From 2022 to 2024, a total of 8,378 primary school teachers have been deployed in JSS to support the first cohorts of CBC. While testifying before the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Dr Macharia said TSC recruited 48,550 teachers in the last two financial years for JSS.
Of these, 39,550 were initially trainees and have since been confirmed on a permanent and pensionable basis, while 9,000 have been employed on a permanent basis.
Despite these efforts, a large gap remains. TSC data shows that 76,928 teachers are currently serving in JSS, representing 51.5% of the 149,350 teachers required. This results in a deficit of 72,422 teachers, which presents a major challenge for the Commission.
TSC Executive Director Nancy Macharia stressed the urgency of bridging this gap to ensure the smooth implementation of CBC in grades 7, 8 and 9.
The recent measures taken by the Commission underline its commitment to addressing the crisis, but sustained efforts will be needed to meet the growing demands in the education sector.
