New curriculum: TSC seeks money to hire more teachers

TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia before the National Assembly Education committee at parliament buildings on February 21, 2019, for discussions on the commission's budget policy statement. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • CEO Nancy Macharia told the National Assembly's Education committee that the teacher shortage will have significant effects on the full implementation of the new curriculum.
  • Ms Macharia informed members of parliament of a projected shortage of 110,633 teachers, which she said was due to rapid growth in school enrolment.
  • The CEO further told the committee that the government policy for 100 percent transition from primary to secondary school had significantly contributed to the shortage.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has urged parliament to allocate funds for recruitment of 12,626 teachers annually for the next three years, for the full implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia on Tuesday told the National Assembly's Education committee that the teacher shortage will have significant effects on the full implementation of the new curriculum.

In addition, the commission said 36,804 teachers were required for the full implementation of the policy for 100 percent transition from primary to secondary school.

THE FIGURES

For 2019, the number of teachers required for the transition is 12,626 but so far only 1,074 have been employed, leaving a deficit of 11,552.

The same number will be required in 2020 and 2021.

Documents presented before the committee indicate that between May 2018 and January 2019, the commission employed 13,700 teachers for the 100 percent transition.

Out of these 1,000 were for primary schools and 12,700 for secondary schools.

TEACHER SHORTAGE

Regarding the shortage, Ms Macharia informed members of parliament of a projected shortage of 110,633 teachers, which she said was due to rapid growth in school enrolment.

The reasons, she said, were free primary and secondary education, the establishment of new schools and the expansion of existing schools.

The CEO further told the committee that the government policy for 100 percent transition from primary to secondary school had significantly contributed to the shortage.

“Over the years, parliament has allocated a budget for recruitment of 5,000 teachers. In the 2017/18 financial year, the commission had an allocation for recruitment of 5,000 teachers. However, during the 2018/19 financial year, the commission did not receive any allocation for recruitment and this significantly contributed to the shortage,” she explained.

The CEO also told MPs that between June 2018 to January 2019, the commission replaced 8,018 teachers, both in primary and secondary schools.

“The replacement of teachers who exit service ensures learners are not left unattended. The policy of the commission is to ensure continuity in the teaching and learning process,” she said.