The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) needs Ksh 70 billion to recruit 98,461 teachers for Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and high schools in Kenya. TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia presented this request during a Senate session, emphasizing the urgent need to address teacher shortages.
Junior Secondary Schools lack 72,442 teachers, while secondary schools under the 8-4-4 system need 26,039 more. Macharia stressed that funding this recruitment would improve education quality and ease the staffing crisis.
TSC has been hiring teachers to bridge this gap. It recruited 9,000 teachers in 2022/23, followed by 39,550 in 2024/25. In January 2025, 20,000 intern teachers joined the workforce, increasing the total recruitment target to 68,550. Of these, 68,313 teachers have been deployed, leaving 237 positions unfilled due to a lack of applicants.
Mandera County still has 56 vacant permanent positions, while intern roles remain open in Mandera (114), Marsabit (34), and Wajir (33). Macharia blamed these unfilled spots on low interest from applicants in hardship areas.
The Senate session also raised concerns about political interference in teacher recruitment. Senators Mohammed Chute and Okiya Omtatah alleged that politicians were issuing employment letters at funerals. They questioned whether TSC had allowed politically influenced hiring. Macharia defended the commission, stating it follows strict recruitment policies to ensure fairness.
Despite these assurances, senators continued to press Macharia for clarity on whether political influence played a role in hiring 68,000 teachers. The debate highlighted concerns over transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.
