TSC boss Nancy Macharia says 14,460 new teachers hired

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced the hiring and posting of 14,460 new teachers in a bid to deal with understaffing across the country.

TSC CEO Dr Nancy Macharia made the announcement on Wednesday, underscoring that the move would help to address the challenge of 100 per cent transition in schools as the country prepares for the national examinations in two months' time.

“I celebrate the teachers for continuing to shoulder a bigger burden arising from the increased enrolment occasioned by the noble 100 per cent transition programme in our schools,” Dr Macharia said.

“The TSC has posted 14,460 new teachers who were recruited last month arising from the fresh recruitment, and replacement of teachers who left service through natural attrition.”

The TSC boss was speaking during the annual ‘World Teachers Day’ celebrations at the Kenya School of Government (KSG).

She called on the new teachers to remain committed, owing to the fact they will be delivering three national examinations; KCPE, KCSE and KPSEA, which are scheduled to start in November this year.

“As we celebrate the teachers today, we are also cognizant of the fact that the staff are also busy preparing for one of the busiest national examination periods in our country, granted that we will be administering three national examinations –, KCPE, KCSE and, for the first time, the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) for Grade Six,” she said.

Dr. Macharia added: “I urge the new teachers to quickly settle down and relieve the pressure off our existing staff.”

At the same time, she commended President William Ruto for his determination to address challenges revolving around the implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), and his resolve to involve the TSC by appointing some teachers in the recently unveiled taskforce.

“I wish to thank the President for appointing eight classroom teachers to the team and also ensuring that the TSC secretariat is well represented in the Working Party,” she said.

“These teachers include Anthony Cheruiyot Sitienei, Margaret W. Chege, Peter Tabichi, Jane Kimiti, Jacinta Ngure, Bernard Kariuki Njoroge, Virginia Wahome and Salome Eyangan.”

The TSC boss also recalled the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the key difficulties in the past two years which destabilised the curriculum, further lauding teachers for braving through the challenges.

“Our teachers have remained focused on their job despite the twin disruptions of COVID-19 and the just concluded General Election,” she said.

“Thanks to all our astounding teachers, we are at the tail end of successfully restoring our normal school calendar. Starting January 2023, we will have our three school terms running as was the case before COVID-19 hit our country.”