The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to undertake a major nationwide recruitment exercise targeting 16,000 teachers on internship terms, alongside more than 5,000 replacement teachers to address persistent staffing gaps in junior and senior secondary schools.
The recruitment process is scheduled to begin in November 2026, with successful candidates expected to sign one-year internship contracts running from 1st January to December 31, 2027.
The programme is designed to strengthen staffing levels in schools that continue to experience pressure due to rising enrolment under the Competency-Based Education (CBE).
According to the plan, the bulk of the 16,000 internship positions will be deployed in junior and senior schools, where demand for subject teachers has remained high.
The government is prioritizing these levels due to increased learner transitions and subject specialization requirements introduced under CBE implementation.
In addition, the commission will recruit over 5,000 replacement teachers. These will fill vacancies created through natural attrition, including retirements, resignations, promotions and other exits expected by the end of 2026.
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The move is aimed at ensuring continuity in learning and preventing teacher shortages from disrupting classroom instruction.
The recruitment exercise follows a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Kenya which reinstated the TSC internship programme after legal uncertainty had temporarily affected its implementation.
This decision cleared the way for the TSC to resume structured internship hiring as part of its broader human resource management strategy.
Education stakeholders have welcomed the planned recruitment, noting that it will help stabilize staffing levels, particularly in hard-to-staff regions.
The move is also expected to provide opportunities for thousands of trained teachers awaiting deployment into the public service.
The exercise is seen as a key step in strengthening Kenya’s education sector as demand for qualified teachers continues to grow.
By Kithinji Njeru
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