The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced plans to deploy qualified Primary Teacher Education (PTE) teachers early next year to support learning in junior secondary schools (JSS) as the pioneer Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) class transitions to Grade 9 in January.
To fill the vacancies, TSC will advertise for eligible primary school teachers to apply online. This comes amid concerns over a teacher shortage in junior secondary schools, where the current teacher-to-class ratio is a critical 1:1.
Past Deployments and Teacher Promotions
Since 2019, TSC has deployed P1 teachers to secondary schools as a promotional opportunity, following complaints of career stagnation among primary school teachers who upgraded their academic qualifications.
- Between 2019 and 2021, 1,000 P1 teachers were deployed annually.
- From 2022 to 2024, 8,378 teachers were deployed to support the implementation of CBC in JSS.
In a recent address to the Parliamentary Committee on Education, TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia highlighted the Commission’s efforts in managing the transition to Grade 9. Over the past two financial years, TSC has recruited 48,550 teachers, including 39,550 interns and 9,000 permanent employees, bringing the total number of JSS teachers to 56,928.
In November 2024 alone, TSC recruited 20,000 interns specifically for Grade 9 classes.
Qualification Standards and Easing Deployment Criteria
To ensure quality teaching in JSS, TSC has maintained strict qualification requirements, mandating a Bachelor’s degree in secondary education with at least a C+ grade in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and in the two teaching subjects.
However, in light of the acute teacher shortage, TSC has hinted at relaxing these requirements. It is considering deploying P1 teachers with diplomas or degrees, identified through its database and verified with school heads.
Deployment Process
Vetting Requirements
Sub-County Directors will oversee the verification of documents, with teachers required to present:
- Original and copies of degree/diploma certificates and academic transcripts
- KCSE certificates or their equivalents
- SNE qualifications (if applicable)
- A current payslip
- A declaration from their Head of Institution confirming their active service status
Deployment Guidelines
Deployment letters will be issued by Sub-County or County Directors based on proximity to the teacher’s current station, subject combinations, and gender balance. Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers will be prioritized for special JSS placements.
Online Processing and Record Management
The entire process will be conducted online via the Posting, Entry/Exit Reports Module, eliminating the need for hard-copy submissions. Schools releasing teachers must promptly submit Exit Reports, while receiving institutions must file Entry Reports online.
Documentation Submission
After deployment, County Directors will submit the following to TSC headquarters:
- Certified copies of academic documents
- Deployment letters and declarations from Heads of Institutions
- A detailed list of deployed teachers, formatted as per TSC templates
Addressing Primary School Staffing
TSC has directed all schools to update staffing positions and conduct teacher rationalization within 14 days after deployment to ensure continuity in teaching and learning.
Antonina Lentoijoni, the Acting Director of Staffing, emphasized adherence to these guidelines to streamline the deployment process and address the pressing needs in JSS.
This structured deployment exercise is part of TSC’s broader strategy to support the CBC rollout while balancing teacher distribution across schools.
