- TSC has flagged a shortage of specialised subject teachers ahead of the senior school transition of 1.1 million learners.
- The commission has projected a need for 58,519 additional teachers across the STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports pathways.
- TSC has relaxed teacher registration requirements and engaged TVET institutions to help close the emerging subject gaps.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has warned of a shortage of qualified teachers in specialised subject areas as the country prepares to transition about 1.1 million learners into senior school under the Competency-Based Education system.
The commission says the transition, which is expected to significantly raise demand for teachers across the three CBE pathways, has exposed gaps in specialised disciplines that have historically attracted little attention in teacher training.
TSC had projected a need for approximately 58,519 additional teachers to support the Grade 10 transition across the STEM, Social Sciences, and Arts and Sports pathways, a figure that underscores the scale of the staffing challenge facing senior schools.
Within the STEM pathway, the commission has identified General Sciences, Computer Studies, Aviation, Electricity, Media Technology, Building and Construction, Woodwork, and Marine and Fisheries as areas requiring more specialised teachers. The supply of trained teachers in Marine and Fisheries remains particularly low, according to the commission.
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The Social Sciences pathway is similarly constrained, with shortages reported in Indigenous Languages, Sign Language, Arabic, French, German and Mandarin. In the Arts and Sports pathway, TSC anticipates rising demand for teachers trained in Music and Dance, Fine Arts, Theatre and Film, Sports and Creative Arts.
These gaps are unfolding against a backdrop of a wider teacher shortage in Kenya, with the national deficit currently estimated at close to 100,000 teachers.
To help close the emerging gaps, TSC has introduced greater flexibility in teacher registration, moving away from the long-standing requirement for teachers to hold two teaching subjects. The commission is also engaging with Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions to explore tapping into their pool of trainers to teach specialised technical subjects in senior schools.
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Education stakeholders say the gaps could translate into new opportunities for students joining universities and teacher-training institutions in September 2026. They are encouraging prospective teachers to consider specialised subjects where demand is expected to remain high, rather than concentrating solely on traditionally popular teaching combinations.
Subjects such as Computer Studies, Creative Arts, Music, Sports, Indigenous Languages, technical disciplines, Aviation, Marine and Fisheries are expected to grow in importance as the rollout of senior schools gathers pace. Universities and teacher-training institutions are being urged to align their programmes accordingly, producing more professionals equipped to teach in these specialised areas.
The developments mark a significant shift in Kenya’s teaching profession, with the CBE system opening up opportunities in disciplines that previously received limited attention in teacher-training programmes.
By Our Reporter
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