The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) needs Sh70 billion to recruit 98,461 teachers for both junior secondary and high school in order to address the current shortage. This is according to the latest statisctics from the Teachers’ employer.

Outgoing TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia, who appeared before the Senate National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Committee, denied claims that the commission had failed in its recruitment role, leaving it to politicians to dish out employment letters in villages.

Ms Macharia told the committee, chaired by Marsabit Senator Mohammed Chute, that the commission has so far recruited 68,313 teachers for JSS on permanent and pensionable terms. This followed a question by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, who sought to know why enough teachers had not been hired to ensure quality learning for pupils.

“I would like to inform the Senate that if TSC is allocated Sh70 billion, we will be able to employ all the teachers needed in our schools. In Junior Secondary, we have a shortage of 72,442 teachers, while in Secondary schools under the 8-4-4 system, we have a shortage of 26,039 teachers,” said Macharia.

Macharia told the Committee that the commission had already recruited 9,000 teachers in the 2022/23 financial year, 39,550 teachers in the 2024/25 financial year and an additional 20,000 intern teachers who reported in January.

According to the TSC boss, this brings the total targeted recruitment to 68,550 positions. Out of these, 68,313 teachers have so far been recruited and deployed across the country, with 237 vacancies remaining unfilled due to a lack of applicants.

She said the unfilled vacancies include 56 permanent and pensionable positions in Mandera County, and 181 intern positions—114 in Mandera, 34 in Marsabit, and 33 in Wajir.

Out of 68,313 Junior Secondary School teachers recruited, the Kalenjin community takes the lion share with 10,769 followed by Luhyas (10, 466), Kamba (9,557), Kikuyu (8,799), Luo (8,721) and the Abagusii at 6,796 respectively.

Senators pressed Macharia to explain why politicians were reportedly issuing teacher recruitment letters at funerals, with senators Chute and Omtatah questioning how such teachers were absorbed into the service.