Despite ambitious efforts to bridge the teacher shortage in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) faces a shortfall of qualified applicants.
Out of the 6,000 deployment slots announced for P1 teachers, only 3,693 applications were received — a reflection of the high qualification threshold set by the Commission.
The staffing needs for JSS are dire. TSC reports that it requires a total of 149,350 teachers to effectively manage Grades 7, 8, and 9. However, only 76,928 teachers have been deployed so far, accounting for just 51.5% of the demand.
Of these, 48,550 are on permanent and pensionable terms, while 8,378 were deployed from primary to junior school between 2023 and 2024. An additional 20,000 intern teachers were hired using Sh4.8 billion allocated by the government.
The deployment initiative is part of TSC’s larger plan to address job stagnation and meet CBC demands. However, stringent qualification requirements are limiting the pool of eligible candidates.
Only teachers with a degree in secondary education and at least a C+ in KCSE and two teaching subjects are eligible. This excludes many P1 teachers who pursued degrees in the primary option, ECDE, or those with C grades in KCSE.
The commission had previously allowed automatic promotions for teachers who presented new academic qualifications. However, since the introduction of the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) in 2014, TSC has shifted its focus from academic certificates to continuous professional assessment through the TPAD tool.
The upcoming rollout of the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) program in December 2025 is intended to further streamline promotion pathways.
While TSC continues to insist that performance and professional conduct will form the basis for advancement, the current approach has led to widespread dissatisfaction among teachers who feel locked out despite being academically upgraded.
The vetting process for the 3,693 applicants is ongoing, and only those meeting the Commission’s full criteria will be considered. The shortfall in applications suggests that unless TSC revises its deployment framework, it may continue to struggle to fill JSS positions adequately.
As the CBC rollout progresses, stakeholders are calling for a more inclusive and practical approach to teacher deployment to ensure quality education is not compromised due to bureaucratic bottlenecks.
