The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is facing a major shortage of technical tutors, particularly in Home Science, a crisis exacerbated by timing of the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, which heavily emphasises practical skills-based subjects.
According to TSC Director of Quality Assurance Reuben Nthamburi, the primary driver of the shortage is an economic exodus from the profession. However, he did not provide data on the number of home science teachers who have resigned to venture into the bakery business.
Dr Nthamburi said trained Home Science teachers are finding more lucrative and flexible employment opportunities outside the public service, often leveraging their skills in baking.
Teachers Service Commission Director of Teacher Professional Management Dr Reuben Nthamburi.
The crisis has forced some schools to drop Home Science altogether due to the unavailability of educators.
"Many home science teachers are leveraging their skills in baking to start private business ventures. Some schools have actually dropped even doing Home Science because we do not have home science teachers," Dr Nthamburi said, adding that these ventures often offer earnings that significantly surpass the standard government teacher salary.
While addressing educators during a teacher education conference at Mombasa Beach in September, Dr Nthamburi urged universities to resume or boost the training of Home Science teachers, warning of a "serious challenge."
“I do not know what you will also do with Home Science Teachers, because even if we employ them, they will leave because they want to start a bakery to make cakes. That is the reality we are facing. A number of them have left, and when you meet them, they have a bakery and they are doing better,” said Dr Nthamburi. The TSC official wondered what happened to the universities that used to train Home Science?
However, the shortage extends beyond Home Science, hitting critical subject areas required for both the phased-out 8-4-4 and the new CBE curriculum.
Dr Nthamburi highlighted serious deficits in Social Studies, Integrated Sciences, Pre-Technical Studies, Agriculture, and Creative Arts in secondary schools.
“Those are the key areas in Senior School where we have a challenge. But remember we are still implementing the 8-4-4 curriculum, we are now at Form 2, Form 3 and Form 4. However, next year we are going to be having Forms 3 and 4. The required teachers for that level are 157, 476 but we have 130, 899 so the deficit is 26, 577,” said Dr Nthamburi.
Currently, for Forms 2, 3, and 4 in the 8-4-4 system, the TSC requires 157,476 teachers but has 130,899, leaving a deficit of 26,577. Key subjects affected include Music and Arts, French, and foreign languages.
There are approximately 129,847 teachers deployed across more than 9,500 secondary schools nationwide.
Alupe University Vice-Chancellor Prof Peter Barasa .
Photo credit: Anthony Njagi | Nation Media Group
Alupe University Vice Chancellor, Prof Peter Barasa, criticised the current university and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funding model, arguing that it systematically undervalues teacher education compared to fields such as medicine, despite teachers being essential for preparing future professionals.
The VC said the financial disparity is counterproductive, as the quality of future doctors and other high-cost professionals relies heavily on well-trained educators.
While the TSC struggles with a shortage, the Kenya Teachers Colleges Principals Association (KTCPA) chairperson, Mr Wycliffe Nyongesa, decried the lack of employment for their graduates.
"We are the only institutions that have graduated CBE teachers, but they have not been deployed. We have around 8,000 who have not been absorbed by the state," Mr Nyongesa stated.
He urged the state to employ the college graduates, noting that private schools are currently benefiting from their skills.
