The government plans to employ 20,000 teachers to improve the teacher-student ratio and solve the country's serious teacher shortage.
Speaking at Kolanya Girl's National School in Bungoma County on Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu stated that the administration has already hired over 50,000 teachers since taking office in September 2022.
"So far since taking office, this government has employed a record 56,750 teachers and as a ministry, we have received additional money to employ 20,000 teachers this financial year," he said
The CS also reaffirmed his commitment to upgrading school infrastructure around the country.
His remarks followed an uproar by the Member of Parliament of Teso South, Mary Emase, who begged the government to boost teachers' morale to improve overall performance.
Thousands of teachers are yet to find work with their employer, the Instructors Service Commission (TSC).
Amid requests to increase the local teacher-student ratio, the TSC said in February that it was negotiating with the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other stakeholders to hire tutors overseas.
Calvin Anyuor, TSC Director Legal, stated that Kenya has a surplus of teachers and that providing them with overseas opportunities would be wise.
‘’We have started engaging key stakeholders to export the teaching resource because we have a surplus of teachers in the country. We are engaging the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other relevant government agencies so that our teachers can go and teach English in Germany,” Anyuor said.
TSC employs almost 400,000 teachers, with plans to hire 46,000 teacher interns on permanent and pensionable conditions by next year.
The interns are almost done with their two-year contract course.
