Government Announces 20,000 Paid Internship Vacancies to Address Teacher Shortage
In response to the shortage of educators in Kenya, the government has announced the recruitment of 20,000 teachers nationwide. This initiative aims to alleviate the shortage and improve the quality of education in the country.
The announcement was made by Tamleck Muturi, Chairperson of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), during the Kenya Secretary School Heads Association (KESSHA) conference in Mombasa. The Teachers Service Commission invites qualified candidates to apply for 18,000 teacher internship posts in Junior Secondary Schools and 2,000 posts in Primary Schools. These internships are intended to support the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
Upon successful recruitment, the total number of teachers employed by the Kenya Kwanza administration will reach 56,000 within a year. This reflects the government’s commitment to address the teacher shortage and enhance the education system.
To support the recruitment drive, a significant budget allocation has been made. The government has designated KSh 4.6 billion for hiring, KSh 1 billion for promotions, and KSh 1.3 billion for training teachers in the competency-based curriculum. The education sector has received the largest share of the national government’s budget for the 2023/24 financial year, amounting to KSh 628.6 billion. This increased allocation demonstrates the government’s emphasis on improving the education sector.
Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their applications online through the Teachers Service Commission’s website, www.tsc.go.ke, or teachersonline.tsc.go.ke, no later than July 18th, 2023.
The newly recruited teachers will be employed on a contract basis. Secondary school teachers will receive a monthly compensation of KSh 20,000, while primary school teachers will receive KSh 15,000. Although this is not a remunerative engagement, teacher interns attached to primary schools will be eligible for a monthly stipend of KSh 15,000, and those attached to junior secondary schools will be eligible for a monthly stipend of KSh 20,000. The stipend will be paid subject to statutory deductions, where applicable.
Despite these recruitment efforts, there is still a significant shortage of instructors in Kenya. TSC data reveals that over 300,000 teachers are currently unemployed. To address this issue, the TSC plans to include principals in the upcoming teacher promotions, as many schools across the nation have multiple headteachers serving in an acting capacity. By implementing such measures, the government aims to attract more qualified educators and improve the overall educational landscape in Kenya.