Thousands of unemployed teachers are facing renewed uncertainty as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) opens applications for 7,720 teaching positions, a number expected to fall short of the demand for employment.
The latest recruitment has rekindled hopes among trained educators who have remained outside the public service despite holding teaching qualifications and meeting the requirements for registration.
However, the relatively small number of positions compared with the pool of unemployed teachers means many applicants could once again miss out on permanent and pensionable employment.
The vacancies are spread across primary, junior and secondary schools. Primary schools have been allocated 5,609 positions, secondary schools 2,086 and junior schools 25.
The recruitment comes amid persistent calls for the government to increase teacher employment to address staffing shortages in public schools, particularly following the introduction of Competency-Based Education (CBE).
For many unemployed teachers, competition for TSC jobs has become increasingly challenging. Some have spent several years searching for opportunities in public schools, while others rely on employment in private institutions and temporary teaching arrangements.
The situation has also raised questions about the pace of teacher recruitment against the growing demands of the education sector. Although the commission has continued to recruit teachers through replacement and additional staffing programmes, the available positions remain limited compared with the number of qualified candidates seeking employment.
The latest vacancies are intended to replace teachers expected to leave the profession through natural attrition during the 2026/2027 financial year. This means the exercise is primarily aimed at maintaining existing staffing levels rather than significantly expanding the teaching workforce.
The government has separately announced plans to recruit additional teachers as part of efforts to strengthen staffing in schools following the rollout of CBE. TSC has also been undertaking teacher training and retooling programmes to prepare educators for the demands of the new curriculum.
Applications for the advertised positions opened on November 10 and will close on November 23, 2026.
The commission requires applicants to submit their applications through its online recruitment platform. It has warned that the exercise is free and that candidates should not pay anyone to secure employment.
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