TSC to Hire 20,000 Intern Teachers to Address Critical Shortage in Kenyan Schools

Kenya’s education sector is reeling from a staggering teacher shortage of over 98,000, with junior secondary schools bearing the brunt, lacking 72,422 tutors as of June 2025. The crisis, driven by years of underfunding, rapid enrollment growth, and regional disparities, has pushed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to allocate Sh2.4 billion for the recruitment of 20,000 intern teachers in the 2025/26 financial year. The move, announced by outgoing TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia, aims to ease the strain on public schools, particularly in underserved areas, but educators and unions warn that it is only a temporary fix for a systemic problem threatening the quality of education. As the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) demands more specialized staffing, the government faces mounting pressure to address both immediate gaps and long-term challenges in teacher management.

The shortage, which has worsened since the introduction of the 100 percent transition policy from primary to secondary school in 2018, reflects a confluence of factors. Rising student enrollment, spurred by free education initiatives, has outpaced teacher recruitment, with the national teacher-student ratio stretching to 1:40, and even higher in urban informal settlements and rural areas. Junior secondary schools, catering to Grades 7 to 9 under the CBC, face the most acute deficit, with 72,422 teachers needed to meet curriculum demands. “The situation in junior secondary schools is dire,” said Akello Misori, Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet). “We have schools where one teacher is handling multiple subjects they’re not trained for, compromising learning outcomes.”

The TSC’s decision to recruit 20,000 intern teachers, set to begin in January 2026, follows a series of stopgap measures. In 2023, the commission hired 26,000 interns, with plans to convert them to permanent and pensionable terms by January 2025, a process delayed by budget cuts. The Sh2.4 billion allocation for 2025/26, announced by President William Ruto during Labour Day celebrations, targets both primary and secondary schools, with 2,000 interns designated for arid and semi-arid regions like Mandera and Wajir, where teacher shortages are compounded by insecurity. “This is a step toward ensuring every child has access to quality education,” Ruto said, emphasizing equity in rural and marginalized areas. However, critics argue the reliance on interns, who earn stipends rather than full salaries, undermines teacher welfare and long-term stability.

The recruitment drive comes amid broader efforts to address the shortage, estimated at 116,000 in 2022 but slightly reduced by recent hires. Over 56,000 teachers have been recruited since the Kenya Kwanza administration took office, including 25,000 secondary school teachers redeployed to junior secondary schools by January 2026. “We’re building on the momentum to close the gap,” Macharia said during a National Assembly Education Committee session. Yet, the commission faces significant hurdles, including a skewed supply of arts-trained teachers—over 400,000 unemployed—while science teachers remain critically scarce. “We have graduates waiting for jobs, but not in the subjects we need most,” Macharia noted, highlighting the challenge of aligning teacher training with demand.

Regional disparities exacerbate the crisis. Kakamega and Bungoma counties, for instance, face shortages of 3,544 and 2,813 teachers, respectively, driven by high enrollment and limited staffing. In northern Kenya, insecurity has led to mass teacher transfers, with the TSC resorting to contract-based hiring in counties like Garissa and Lamu. “Teachers are reluctant to work in these areas because of safety concerns,” said Jane Muthoni, a retired headteacher in Nyeri. “The government must offer incentives, not just contracts, to attract and retain staff.” The TSC has proposed differentiated staffing norms, with a pupil-teacher ratio of 25:1 in arid regions compared to 45:1 in high-potential areas, but implementation remains slow due to funding constraints.

The financial strain on the TSC is palpable. The commission’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan requires an additional Sh134.5 billion over five years to hire 111,870 teachers, a target hampered by a Sh10 billion budget cut in 2024. “We’re operating with one hand tied behind our back,” said a TSC official, speaking anonymously. “The Sh2.4 billion for interns is welcome, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what we need.” The 2025/26 recruitment will prioritize junior secondary schools, where the CBC’s demand for specialized subjects like integrated science and pre-technical studies has exposed staffing gaps. Principals, caught between rising enrollment and limited staff, report teachers handling double workloads. “Some of our teachers are teaching up to 30 lessons a week,” said Kahi Indimuli, chair of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association. “It’s unsustainable.”

Teachers’ unions have been vocal about the crisis. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has criticized the government’s reliance on interns, arguing it exploits young educators. “Interns are paid a pittance and have no job security,” said KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu. “We need permanent hires to stabilize the system.” In 2024, KNUT and Kuppet threatened strikes over delayed conversions of 26,000 interns and a Sh6 billion hardship allowance dispute, reflecting broader discontent with working conditions. The 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement, revised in 2023, promised salary increases and promotions for 30,000 stagnant teachers by June 2025, but budget constraints have slowed progress. “Teachers are the backbone of education, yet they’re undervalued,” Oyuu added.

The teacher shortage has ripple effects on students. In junior secondary schools, the lack of trained tutors has led to makeshift arrangements, with primary school teachers redeployed to teach unfamiliar subjects. “I’m a mathematics teacher, but I’m now teaching social studies because there’s no one else,” said Esther Wambui, a teacher in Nakuru. Parents, too, are frustrated. “My daughter in Grade 8 has no science teacher,” said Peter Kamau, a parent in Kakamega. “How can she prepare for exams under these conditions?” The TSC’s virtual lessons program, launched in 2022 to share resources from well-staffed schools, has been hampered by poor internet connectivity, leaving rural schools particularly disadvantaged.

The government’s broader education agenda, including the CBC and infrastructure development, adds complexity. With 18,000 classrooms under construction for Grade 9 learners by January 2026, the teacher shortage threatens to undermine these efforts. Principal Secretary for Basic Education Belio Kipsang emphasized the government’s commitment to CBC, noting that 11,000 classrooms are funded by development partners and 7,000 through the Constituency Development Fund. “We’re investing in both infrastructure and human resources,” Kipsang said. Yet, educators argue that without addressing teacher training and retention, these investments may fall short. The shortage of science teachers, in particular, jeopardizes the need for targeted training programs. “We need to incentivize science education at universities,” said Timothy Nyakundi, a secondary school teacher. “Otherwise, we’re just patching holes.”

Public sentiment, as seen on platforms like X, reflects frustration with the government’s priorities. Users have criticized the allocation of funds for political projects while schools struggle. “Teachers build the nation, but MPs get pay hikes,” one user posted, echoing a common sentiment. Others have praised the Sh2.4 billion allocation but called for permanent hires. “Internships are a start, but we need long-term solutions,” wrote another. The debate has also drawn comparisons to recent political upheavals, such as the impeachment of Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo, highlighting broader governance challenges.

The TSC’s recruitment plan includes rigorous processes to ensure fairness. Applicants, restricted to new graduates with P1 certificates for primary schools or relevant qualifications for secondary schools, must apply online and undergo document verification. “The process is transparent, but we’re limited by resources,” Macharia said. The commission has also prioritized promotions, with Sh1 billion allocated for 36,505 teachers in 2024, though delays have sparked unrest. In arid regions, the TSC’s contract-based hiring of 500 teachers in 2020 addressed immediate needs but failed to curb long-term shortages due to high turnover.

Looking ahead, the TSC aims to hire 75,000 permanent teachers by 2027, a goal contingent on increased funding. The National Treasury’s allocation of Sh628.6 billion to education in 2024, while significant, falls short of the TSC’s needs. “We need a national conversation on education funding,” said Misori, urging stakeholder involvement. Community leaders, particularly in rural areas, have called for incentives like hardship allowances and improved housing to attract teachers. “If we don’t make teaching attractive, we’ll lose talent,” said Fatuma Ali, a community organizer in Wajir.

The teacher shortage crisis, while daunting, has sparked renewed focus on Kenya’s education system. The Sh2.4 billion for 20,000 interns is a critical step, but stakeholders agree that systemic reforms—better funding, targeted training, and improved working conditions—are essential to ensure quality education for all. As Kenya navigates this challenge, the resilience of its teachers and the aspirations of its students hang in the balance, underscoring the urgency of transformative action.