TSC to deploy primary teachers to junior school
Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia addressing the 64th Kenya National Union Annual Conference in Mombasa on December 10, 2024.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has started the process of deploying thousands of teachers to teach in junior schools (JS) amid shortages facing public institutions.
TSC has invited applications for the deployment of primary school teachers to teach in JS, saying those qualified will be upgraded.
However, TSC said it will only deploy teachers serving under permanent and pensionable terms in public primary schools who meet the requisite qualifications.
“Must be serving as a primary school teacher employed by TSC. Must hold a Diploma or Degree in Education,” read the requirements by the commission posted on its website.
The minimum mean grade is a C+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and a minimum grade C+ in each of the two teaching subjects or its equivalent.
This comes barely a day after President William Ruto pledged to recruit more teachers to address the shortages.
“Education is a crucial matter, that is why I have invested heavily in the sector to ensure every child accesses education, which is an equaliser. I have so far recruited 76,000 teachers since I was elected two years ago,” said President Ruto.
He said his administration has also streamlined the competency-based curriculum (CBC).
“We have employed 76,000 teachers, built infrastructure including constructing 14,000 new classrooms for our children and a student centred funding model to ensure more Kenyan youth access technical vocational education and training institutions and university education,” he added.
President Ruto further pledged to build more classrooms for learners in areas grappling with shortages. He added that his administration will ensure many children access education, urging MPs to build more schools.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) urged primary school teachers to take up the positions.
Knut National Trustee Dan Aloo said in 1985, under the 8-4-4 system, there was a movement of teachers from primary to secondary and secondary to primary. Noting that the upgrading is based on teachers’ competencies and available needs, he said it was a good move if well utilised by the employer.
“Those who were in primary schools and could teach music or art and craft went to secondary and vice versa, because this was based on subject quality. So, in the same way, if we have teachers competent in comprehensive schools who are good in areas like ICT and sciences, they will be moving to secondary schools,” said Mr Aloo.
He said the CBC system needs more teachers unlike 8-4-4 because it is shifting from knowledge-based to skills-based teaching.
Recently, Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said TSC recruited 20,000 teachers alongside the 46,000 intern teachers who were converted to permanent and pensionable terms last year.
“We already had some 10,000 teachers, so as we speak we have more than 80,000 teachers in our junior schools to take care of our children,” said the PS.
However, he said junior school requires more than 140,000 teachers.
“But as we progress, we shall ensure all the required teachers are available,” said Dr Kipsang.
