Why TSC is collecting data on registered unemployed teachers

Pupils engage in hands-on learning, developing practical skills as part of classroom activities. /AI

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has launched a nationwide data collection exercise targeting registered but unemployed teachers in an effort to better understand the scale and characteristics of joblessness among trained educators.

The commission, which is the sole employer of teachers in public primary and secondary schools and manages teacher registration through an online platform, said the information gathered will be used to guide planning and shape future recruitment policies.

According to TSC, the exercise will help establish a detailed profile of trained but jobless teachers across the country by mapping their academic qualifications, subject specialisations and geographical locations.

The commission emphasised that the exercise should not be interpreted as a recruitment process.

“This is a data update exercise, not a recruitment advertisement,” TSC clarified as it invited targeted teachers to participate.

The commission further assured teachers that all information submitted during the exercise will be protected.

“The updated data will be processed and stored in accordance with the Provisions of the Data Protection Act and the Privacy Notice of the Commission,” TSC said.

Teachers targeted for the exercise have been asked to submit their details online through the TSC website.

“Teachers targeted for submission of this information should provide their details online at www.tsc.go.ke under ‘Careers’ by March 16, 2026 midnight.”

Alternatively, the commission said teachers can update their details through the portal https://tsconline.tsc.go.ke/profile/teacher-profile/.

Upon signing a consent form, participating teachers will be required to provide personal and professional details including their name, ethnicity, identification number, county and subcounty of origin, gender, academic qualifications, level of training, disability status and phone number.

TSC clarified that submitting the information will not be treated as a job application and does not guarantee employment or any related benefit.

The exercise comes at a time when unemployment continues to pose a major challenge in the country, with more than 800,000 youths entering the labour market every year.

Data from the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics showed that 38.9 per cent of the country’s 13 million youths were unemployed, with the figures projected to increase.

The large number of new entrants into the labour market is currently outpacing the economy’s ability to absorb them into productive employment.

As the majority population group, youths are expected to drive social, economic and political development, but unemployment limits their ability to fully participate in and contribute to the country’s growth.

At the same time, the commission continues to face pressure to address a teacher shortage estimated at 98,000 despite receiving more than 55 per cent of the total education sector budget annually.

During its most recent recruitment drive in November 2025, TSC declared 9,159 vacancies on permanent and pensionable terms of service to replace teachers who exited the service through natural attrition.

The recruits were required to hold a minimum P1 certificate for primary school teaching, while those joining junior and secondary schools were required to have at least a Diploma in Education.

Out of the advertised positions, 7,065 posts were allocated to primary schools, 12 to junior schools and 2,082 to secondary schools.

Earlier, in October 2024, the commission had also advertised 20,000 teacher internship positions in junior schools to support the implementation of Competency Based Education.

The internship programme was scheduled to run for 12 months.

“This is not a remunerative engagement. However, interns attached to Junior Secondary Schools will be eligible for a monthly stipend of Sh20,000,” the commission said at the time, noting that the stipend would be paid subject to statutory deductions where applicable.

Although the government says it has recruited more than 100,000 teachers since 2022, data from TSC shows the number still falls significantly short of bridging the existing shortage.

The commission has warned that the gap could widen further in 2026 with the rollout of senior school under Grade 10.

Concerns over the staffing shortfall were also raised in a report by the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), which warned that the shortage threatens education standards in public schools.

“The commission faces significant challenges in fulfilling its mandate to recruit and employ registered teachers. The primary impediment is the inadequate budget allocation which has resulted in critical teacher shortage,” the committee, then chaired by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, said.

Omondi has since been moved from the committee to the Sports and Culture Committee following changes in the National Assembly committee structure.

In the 2025–26 financial year, TSC was allocated Sh387.2 billion, the largest portion of the Sh702.7 billion education sector budget.

The amount included Sh7.2 billion for the recruitment of intern teachers, Sh2.4 billion for the hiring of permanent teachers and Sh980 million for capacity building to support the Competency Based Education programme.

International standards place the ideal teacher-to-learner ratio at 1:25. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba recently said Kenya’s current ratio stands at 1:26, placing the country just one step short of meeting the global benchmark.

According to the 2026 Budget Policy Statement, the National Treasury has proposed allocating Sh422.95 billion to TSC in the 2026–27 financial year, representing an increase of Sh35.7 billion from the previous year.

The proposed allocation, which forms the largest share of the Sh767 billion earmarked for the education sector, is intended to help reduce the teacher shortage through the recruitment of 16,000 new teachers and the conversion of 20,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms.