The government has developed a policy framework and guidelines that will guide a plan to find jobs in at least 17 countries abroad for thousands of unemployed teachers.
According to Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia, the policy has been developed in response to requests by foreign governments for export of Kenyan teachers.
“Our research and consultations with the State Department of Diaspora Affairs confirm that there is high demand for Kenyan teachers in USA, Ireland and Germany — especially those who can teach English. Then there is South Africa for those who can teach Kiswahili, Thailand and other Middle East Countries. The policy is a targeted response to this market demand,” Ms Macharia told Nation.
According to the commission, as at May 2024, it had on its register a total of 714,234 teachers, with 360,000 under employment by the TSC on a permanent basis.
In this new jobs export plan, TSC targets a total of 354,234 teachers.
“Other countries that are targeted for teacher exports include Kuwait, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates, which require special needs education teachers and Qatar (Islamic religious education and science teachers). Kiswahili teachers are needed in China, France, Botswana and Japan,” Ms Macharia said.
She added that those qualified to teach English are needed in France, Canada, Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia, Spain, China, and the UAE. The placements abroad will be through government-to-government labour export initiatives.
“The commission has received several delegations asking for partnership for the export programme. This necessitated the development of a policy framework to guide the process. As a government institution, TSC will work closely with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Labour, who will be responsible for exploring the markets for teacher export,” Ms Macharia said.
The selection criteria will define the essential skills a teacher has, qualifications, and experiences required for a specific international teaching job.
To qualify for placement abroad, a teacher must be a Kenyan citizen and completed training and graduated with a degree, diploma, or certificate in education from a recognised institution and meet other requirements of registration by the TSC.
The teacher must be registered by the TSC and meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution. The teacher must also meet any additional requirements set by the host country, such as specialised training, professional certifications, language proficiency, or other specific job requirements.
“The commission will liaise with respective ministries and agencies to provide an orientation programme for the selected teachers that will cover issues that include security, medical, transport, terms of engagement, remuneration, career guidance and development, cultural sensitivity, transparency and accessibility, language skills (where applicable), and specific educational practices prevalent in the host country,” the policy document reads.
The TSC will also advocate for standardised contracts to detail all aspects of the terms and conditions of service including the salary, work hours, benefits, housing, insurance and repatriation terms.
“Teachers employed by the TSC on permanent and pensionable terms are required to resign from their current positions in order to take up international teaching jobs. The TSC will fill these vacancies to ensure teaching and learning are not interrupted. Subsequently, upon return, the teachers are not guaranteed a job but will be eligible to apply for vacancies as they become available,” the policy states.
In July, the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi flagged off some teachers who had secured teaching jobs in the US. This was, however, not a government project but organised through a placement agency.
According to the document, the policy framework will formalise engagement of Kenyan teachers who will work abroad and also protect their interests “to “collaborate with relevant stakeholders and partners to provide guidance on clear, fair, and competitive terms and conditions of service for Kenyan teachers to be employed outside the Kenyan borders”.
It also aims at cultivating collaborative partnerships with the host countries. It advocates for global educational cooperation and lifelong learning through a structured approach that engages all categories of teachers in opportunities abroad.
“The implementation of this policy framework will therefore support Kenyan teachers as they venture into the international labour market where they will apply their skills and competencies,” the document reads.
Despite Kenya facing a deficit of teachers, the government has been unable to absorb all the qualified and registered tutors. In October this year, when the TSC advertised for 46,000 vacancies, it received 314,117 applications, highlighting the high unemployment rate among graduates.
Schools at all levels have staffing gaps, which the government has been unable to plug for years. Junior school has been the worst hit since it rolled out two years ago. While campaigning for presidency in 2022, President William Ruto had promised to employ 116,000 within two years but it has proved to be a difficult task.
“International teaching opportunities offer Kenyan teachers invaluable professional growth and development. Exposure to diverse educational systems, teaching methodologies, and cultural contexts enhances their effectiveness as educators. Additionally, Kenyan teachers working abroad contribute to the generation of remittances, supporting their families and boosting the country's foreign exchange earnings,” the policy document reads.
According to the policy, the TSC will establish and maintain an updated database of Kenyan teachers who are available for international teaching employment opportunities and match them with relevant positions. The commission will also establish a criterion for selecting the teachers.
“The commission will establish a database that supports real-time data entry, storage, and retrieval of information about teachers that includes personal details, academic and professional qualifications, areas of expertise, host country and any relevant information. The database will also assist in data analysis and reporting,” the document reads.
The TSC will then establish a standardised application process where teachers can submit their credentials and express their interest in teaching opportunities abroad. Access to the database will be restricted to authorised personnel only.
The database will incorporate a feedback mechanism to gather insights from teachers about the registration and matching process and use the feedback to improve the database while the policy framework will be reviewed every three years or when the need arises.
President William Ruto’s administration has made labour migration a key pillar of its plan to create jobs. The policy has divided opinion with critics questioning why the government should not create jobs locally and pointing to the slave-like conditions of some of the low-level jobs on offer, especially in the Middle East.
