Public and private schools across the country are increasingly turning to teachers hired outside the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) framework as staffing shortages continue to strain the education sector.
With the TSC unable to deploy enough teachers to match rising enrolment and expanding subject combinations, many public schools have resorted to employing teachers under Boards of Management (BoM). At the same time, private schools are stepping up recruitment to remain competitive and maintain acceptable teacher–learner ratios.
An Education News survey shows the practice has become widespread, cutting across national, extra‑county, county and day schools. Dozens of institutions are openly advertising vacancies on notice boards, social media platforms and through word of mouth.
BoM Teachers Filling a Critical Gap
Headteachers interviewed acknowledged that BoM teachers have become indispensable. “We cannot function with the teachers allocated by TSC alone,” said the principal of a public secondary school. “Class sizes are growing and subject combinations are expanding. Without BoM teachers, learners would suffer.”
In many schools, BoM teachers carry full teaching loads similar to their TSC‑employed colleagues, despite stark differences in pay and job security. Their remuneration depends largely on the financial capacity of individual institutions, which is tied to enrolment numbers and overall status.
Wide Pay Disparities
The survey reveals significant salary disparities. BoM teachers in national and extra‑county schools earn between Sh20,000 and Sh50,000 per month, supported by higher enrolment and stronger financial backing.
In contrast, those in county, sub‑county and day schools earn far less, with some taking home as little as Sh10,000. “Your pay depends on the school’s population and its ability to raise funds,” said a BoM teacher in a day school. “In low‑enrolment schools, you are lucky to earn even Sh15,000.”
Private schools show similar variations, with elite institutions offering competitive packages while smaller schools pay minimal wages.
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Private Sector: Opportunity and Risk
While private schools provide opportunities for many trained but jobless teachers, the sector is also cited as prone to exploitation. Unlike their TSC counterparts, BoM and private school teachers lack union representation, leaving them vulnerable to arbitrary dismissals, delayed salaries and excessive workloads.
“There is no job security,” noted a teacher in a private school. “You can be dismissed without notice, and there is nowhere to report.” Cases have been reported where teachers work without contracts, earn below minimum wage, or are required to teach multiple subjects outside their specialization.
Schools Actively Advertising Vacancies
The shortage has triggered a surge in advertisements for teaching positions, particularly in mathematics, sciences and languages. National and extra‑county schools are recruiting BoM teachers to maintain performance standards, while county and day schools are advertising vacancies simply to keep classrooms running.
Calls for Policy Intervention
Education stakeholders warn that while BoM hiring offers a short‑term solution, it is not sustainable. Experts are calling on the government to accelerate teacher recruitment through TSC and to develop clear policy guidelines to protect teachers employed under BoM and private arrangements.
“There is a need for regulation of BoM employment, including minimum pay standards and job security provisions,” said an education analyst. “These teachers are carrying a huge burden in our schools.”
By Mosoti Mogambi
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