Counties with high teacher shortage TSC put to task over failure to employ interns
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TSC put to task over failure to employ interns amid a shortage of 116,000 teachers in both primary and secondary schools
TSC put to task over failure to employ interns amid a shortage of 116,000 teachers in both primary and secondary schools.
Yesterday, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was put to task to explain its failure to provide an explanation for the delays in hiring interns.
According to a paper submitted to Parliament, there are more teacher shortages in some counties than in others.
The information was released on the same day that 116,000 additional teachers were needed in both primary and secondary education.
Primary school enrollment is down by 48,327 out of the aforementioned total, with 12 counties with the highest number.
The document showed that Kakamega, Kisumu, and Kitui lead in the 12 counties with the highest numbers of teacher shortages.
Kakamega has a 6,129 primary teacher shortage followed by Kisumu (5,281), Kitui (4,504), Kilifi (2,580), Homa Bay (2,571), West Pokot (2,043), Narok (1,928), Bungoma (1,403), Mandera (1,353), Turkana (1,269), Bomet (1,152) and Wajir (1,045).
Counties with the least teacher shortfall include Kirinyaga (44), Lamu (46), Nyeri (105), Laikipia (211), and Embu (255).
Others with teacher shortages are Bomet 1,152, Elgeyo Marakwet (871), Busia (746), Baringo (669), Garissa (729), Nyandarua (754), Nandi (768), Nakuru (810), Meru (792) Marsabit (310) Migori (830) among others.
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TSC Board Chair Jamleck Muturi and director of legal Cavin Anyuor testified before the National Assembly Education Committee that despite the teacher shortage, the National Treasury has only been distributing funds to employ roughly 5,000 teachers since 2012.
“The distribution of teachers is based on budget allocation. This is the decision the commission has made. All through 2012, we have been given a budget for employing about 5,000 teachers. Even now we have only been given a budget of about 30,000 we still have a big challenge,”Anyuor said.
He added: “When we are doing recruitment, we always do this proportionate to the budget we have, we always look out at the counties with the highest shortage.”
But despite assurances that they are doing everything possible to bridge the said gap, MPs present sought to know why the commission had not made any deliberate effort to ensure that most counties affected are allocated more teachers.
Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara said it was disheartening that some counties have a shortage of teachers running into thousands yet the commission has not done enough to address this gap.
“You know there are shortages in the 12 counties and you have not even given us a breakdown of what you intend to do. This issue of teacher shortages is a serious matter that ought to be addressed,” said Obara.
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