•TSC lost 8,018 teachers in six months between June last year and January 2019
•The loss has left void in primary schools as those trained in DLP and CBC lead in the exit
Image: FILE
About 44 teachers retire, die or resign each day, according to the Teachers Service Commission.
Data from the commission indicate that it lost 8,018 teachers in six months between June 2018 and January 2019— about six months. This means it lost an average of about 1,336 teachers each month.
Commission CEO Nancy Macharia said they have over the years been replacing those exiting service. Currently, the number of teachers employed by the TSC is 317,069. Another 302,879 trained teachers are not employed by the government.
“Replacement of teachers who exit service ensures that learners are not left unattended due to exit of previous teachers,” Macharia said in a document presented in Parliament.
Of major concern, however, is that most of those leaving the service are those handling lower primary classes. This has hampered the implementation of the Digital Literacy Project and the Competency-Based Curriculum, the two flagship projects of the Jubilee administration.
Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association secretary general David Mavuta on Friday said the government sent teachers from these lower classes to acquire skills on the two projects as implementation targeted learners in classes one, two and three.
“Most public primary schools delegate teaching of lower primary classes to female teachers who have been in service for many years,” Mavuta told the Star on the phone.
He said the same group benefitted from the DLP and CBC training and natural attrition is now proving a challenge because most of them are exiting service. Mavuta said while replacing the teachers, their unique skills and training is considered, leaving a void in the institutions.
special skills lost
Most public primary schools delegate teaching of lower primary classes to female teachers who have been in service for many years
Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association secretary general David Mavuta said, “We propose that the government consider conducting an induction before posting them to schools. This would help in retaining special skills more so at such a time when their special skills are needed.”
The TSC estimates the shortage to be at 110,633 for primary and secondary schools. Macharia said the 100 per cent transition is responsible for the escalating shortfall.
“The commission calls upon Parliament to appropriate funds for recruitment of 12,626 teachers annually for the next three years in order that the teacher shortage is fully addressed by 2021,” a document tabled in Parliament reads.
This year, the commission has employed 1,074 interns and 5,000 teachers.
Most public primary schools delegate teaching of lower primary classes to female teachers who have been in service for many yearsKenya Primary Schools Heads Association secretary general David Mavuta