- Garissa leaders want TSC to recruit and deploy about 1,700 teacher trainees set to graduate from Garissa Teachers Training College in October.
- KNUT Garissa Executive Secretary Abdirizack Hussein says 70-80% of the trainees are from Northeastern and are better placed to work and stay in the region.
- Leaders say deploying local graduates will curb teacher shortage, improve retention in hardship areas, and reduce disruptions from frequent transfers.
Garissa leaders have called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to urgently recruit and deploy about 1,700 teacher trainees expected to graduate from Garissa Teachers Training College in October.
The leaders said employing the graduates would help address the persistent shortage of teachers affecting schools across Northeastern Kenya, where insecurity and frequent staff transfers have continued to disrupt learning.
Garissa KNUT Executive Secretary Abdirizack Hussein said the graduates should be given priority in recruitment and deployment, arguing that many of them are from the region and understand the challenges facing local schools.
Mr Hussein said between 70 and 80 per cent of the trainees at the college are from Northeastern Kenya, making them better placed to work in schools within the region.
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He said recruiting teachers from the local communities would also help improve retention in hardship- and insecurity-prone areas, where teachers recruited from other parts of the country have sometimes sought transfers after experiencing difficult working conditions.
The leaders said the deployment of locally trained teachers would provide greater stability in schools and reduce disruptions occasioned by frequent movement of teaching staff.
They further urged the government to align teacher recruitment with the growing number of graduates from teacher-training institutions in Northeastern Kenya.
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The government has in recent years expanded teacher-training capacity in the region, with institutions in Wajir and Mandera complementing Garissa Teachers Training College.
The expansion is expected to increase the number of trained teachers available to serve schools in Northeastern, a region that has historically faced challenges in attracting and retaining teaching staff.
The leaders called on TSC to consider the expected October graduates when undertaking its next recruitment exercise, saying their deployment would help bridge staffing gaps while giving local graduates an opportunity to serve communities in the region.
By Abdile Kofa
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