The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) faced tough scrutiny from lawmakers over what they termed as glaring inconsistencies between its recruitment policies and the reality faced by jobless teachers across Kenya.
While appearing before the National Assembly’s Education Committee, TSC officials defended their hiring process as guided by fairness, inclusivity, and transparency. They explained that vacancies are determined based on shortages, allocated proportionally to counties and sub-counties, and advertised publicly. Applicants then undergo document verification at sub-county offices before attending decentralised interviews. The commission further emphasized that 5% of teaching vacancies are set aside for persons with disabilities, while priority is given to hard-to-staff regions.
However, MPs dismissed the explanation, noting that the policies have failed to address persistent inequities. Homa Bay Woman Representative Joyce Osogo Bensuda lamented that some teachers who graduated more than 15 years ago are still unemployed, yet younger graduates with less than three years out of college already hold TSC jobs. “It is unfair that many are nearing the age limit of 45 without ever being employed,” she argued.
Makueni MP Suzanne Kiamba added that the situation was a waste of national resources. She revealed cases in her constituency where women in their late forties still held valid TSC numbers but had never been absorbed, despite repeated applications. “They have strength left to serve, but this country has abandoned them,” she said.
Lawmakers also raised concerns about regional staffing disparities. Aldai MP Marianne Kitany highlighted cases where schools with over 300 pupils are staffed with only one TSC teacher, forcing parents to hire additional teachers despite being taxpayers. Legislators demanded access to constituency-level data on teacher distribution, student numbers, and staffing gaps to allow for accountability.
Further criticism was directed at recruitment guidelines, which MPs said favored science teachers at the expense of arts and humanities graduates, leaving many unemployed despite Kenya’s need for a balanced curriculum. “The interview scheme is skewed toward sciences, marginalizing social science teachers,” one legislator noted.
The committee urged TSC to rethink its hiring model to prioritize both older jobless graduates and equitable subject distribution. They insisted that teachers should be recruited earlier in their careers rather than left to age out without ever securing employment.
