For nearly a decade, Steven Nzomo carried the heavy burden of deferred dreams. A trained teacher since 2013, he spent nine long years applying, waiting, and hoping—each recruitment season ending in disappointment when his name failed to appear on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) shortlist.
“I graduated from Machakos Teachers College in 2013,” he recalls. “Since then, I have been tarmacking, applying for a TSC job almost every year, nine times, but nothing came through. I kept asking myself, Will my chance ever come?”
To sustain his family, Nzomo turned to driving, ran small businesses, and accepted casual jobs—anything that could keep him afloat.
“Previously, we learnt about vacancies from newspaper adverts,” he explains. “You would travel long distances to deliver your application papers in person, wait for a call that never came, and later discover others had been recruited. There is currently no transparency. You just went home and hoped, until the next advert.”
Year after year, he repeated this painful cycle of hope and frustration. Yet one thing never wavered—his faith that one day he would be back where he truly belonged: in a classroom. Even when life forced him behind the wheel or into a shop, his heart remained in teaching.
“Teaching was never just about employment; it has always been my calling,” he says.
That calling was finally answered after ten long years. “I am personally grateful for this government and for the current office, TSC Machakos, because the new system in place there is a lot of accountability and transparency.”
Through reforms spearheaded under President William Ruto’s administration, the government embarked on an ambitious programme in 2022 to recruit 116,000 teachers, beginning with an overhaul of the TSC’s recruitment systems.
A breakthrough occurred with the digitisation of teacher recruitment, which TSC Chief Executive Officer Dr Evaleen Mitei describes as transformative. “A game-changer because we have digitised our systems. It allows every trained teacher to access recruitment opportunities directly. Every teacher in this country now knows that the process is digital; they do not have to ask anyone when the next recruitment will happen,” she explains.
Adding that, “Our recruitment process is online, and this is basically the entire process where the teachers apply online, and we shortlist online. That would definitely ensure transparency and effectiveness of the process. It also gives access to our teachers from wherever they are to be able to see the advert and apply.”
For Nzomo, that transformation changed his life. “When the results were pinned on the county noticeboard and I saw my name, I could not believe it,” he says with a smile. “It felt like a heavy burden had been lifted.”
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He soon reported to Kwanthanze High School, where TSC officials assisted recruits in completing employment formalities before issuing posting letters. Initially deployed to Bomet County, he was later transferred closer to home following the end of the delocalisation policy.
Today, Nzomo teaches at Ngelani Comprehensive School in Machakos County, finally living the dream that once felt out of reach. His posting coincided with Kenya’s transition from the 8-4-4 system to Competency-Based Education (CBE)—a change he fully embraces.
“In 8-4-4, the teacher was doing most of the work; it was teacher-centred. However, with CBE, we now guide learners as facilitators. They are more innovative, creative, and exposed. It makes learning easier and impactful.”
Nzomo’s story echoes that of many educators across Kenya who endured long waits before securing employment but never abandoned their calling. Acting TSC CEO Dr Evaleen Mitei affirms that his case is not an isolated incident.
“We have teachers who have overstayed after graduation for more than 15 years. Over the last two and a half years, we have hired 76,000 teachers, a number that would have taken 20 years to achieve under the old system. Our policy of ‘first-out, first-in’ ensures those who have waited longest are finally recruited.”
TSC Chairperson Dr Jamleck Muturi emphasises the impact of these recruitments on learning outcomes. “The first important person in Competency-Based Education implementation is the teacher. Recruiting more teachers reduces shortages, lowers the teacher-pupil ratio, balances workloads, and ensures every child enjoys the constitutional right to quality education.”
Echoing this vision, President William Ruto announced that by January, an additional 24,000 teachers will be hired. He also revealed that funding for teacher promotions has doubled—from Ksh 1 billion to Ksh 2 billion annually—enabling at least 50,000 teachers to advance in rank each year.
Meanwhile, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki noted that education now commands the largest share of Kenya’s national budget, marking an unprecedented investment in the sector. Speaking during the Murang’a Technical Training Institute graduation ceremony, he affirmed the government’s unwavering focus on expanding access to quality and affordable education at all levels.
For Nzomo, these reforms are not just statistics—they are the tangible realisation of a dream he refused to abandon. Today, as he stands before his students, he embodies perseverance, hope, and a sense of purpose.
“Once we enable the teacher, we enable the village. And once we enable the village, we build the nation,” he says with a smile.
By Joseph Mambili
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