As Kenya races toward the January 2026 transition of Competency-Based Education (CBE) learners into senior school, one challenge has become glaring—teachers for specialised fields are in short supply.
Among the most pressing gaps is the lack of indigenous language teachers. Basic Education Principal Secretary Professor Julius Bitok admitted that “no teacher in this country has been trained to teach indigenous languages.” This presents a major roadblock to CBC’s emphasis on local culture and identity.
At the same time, STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—face an acute shortage. A Teachers Service Commission report revealed that schools require tens of thousands more teachers in integrated science, pre-technical studies, and vocational subjects.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba noted that overall, the education system is short of 137,500 teachers, with junior and senior schools both heavily affected. The situation persists despite aggressive recruitment drives in the last three years.
The Ministry has acknowledged the need to expand diploma and degree training in STEM areas while rethinking the structure of teacher training to include indigenous languages. New policy directions include the establishment of a Kenya Teacher Training College and a Kenya School of Teacher and Education Management to lead retooling efforts.
Public colleges can accommodate about 49,000 trainees, while universities have enrolled over 183,000 in education degrees. Yet, most are in arts, leaving STEM and languages underserved.
To bridge the gap, the Ministry plans to upgrade P1 and ECDE teachers to diploma level, enforce stricter entry requirements, and roll out structured mentorship and internships. The hope is that by 2027, every trained teacher will secure employment.
The dual crisis in indigenous languages and STEM teacher availability is more than an employment issue—it is about the future of Kenya’s education system. Without targeted action, learners risk missing out on critical skills and cultural identity central to the CBC vision.
