TSC announces recruitment of 500 teachers in northeastern 

Pupils in a primary school in Mandera. TSC has announced recruitment of tutors to to plug shortage following teacher exodus. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Interested candidates are advised to make their applications online through the TSC website before the end of June 30.
  • The government has indicated that schools within the country could reopen in September once all the  Covid-19 control measures are put in place.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has advertised 500 teaching posts on contract terms in Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Lamu counties.

According to a letter by TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia seen by the Nation, the 500 positions include 191 posts for primary schools and another 309 for secondary schools.

 Many teachers in northeastern  and Lamu moved to other parts of the country following a spate of  attacks by Al-Shabaab.

Parents and education stakeholders in the regions had expressed concern over the future of their children when schools resume because of lack of teachers.

 Others were worried that lack of teachers was exposing their children to the risk of being radicalised. They made continuous appeals to the government to come up with an affirmative action to address the teacher crisis. 

 Qualified candidates will be recruited on a three year renewable contract.

"Pursuant to its mandate,  the commission invites applications from suitably qualified teachers to be recruited on a three year contract renewable up to the age of 65 years to teach in primary and secondary schools in the following counties; Mandera, Wajir,  Garissa and Lamu," the letter reads.

 Interested candidates are advised to make their applications online through the TSC website before the end of June 30.

 The government has indicated that schools within the country could reopen in September once all the  Covid-19 control measures are put in place.

 Earlier this year, before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, several teachers who were serving in the northern region fled following a terrorist attack at Kamuthe Resource Center in Garissa which left three tutors dead.

The attack which was blamed on the Shabaab militants saw a mass exit of non-local teachers from the three counties in the orthern region dealing the education sector a blow.

 In Wajir and Garissa counties alone, at least 1,000 teachers left.

In the neighboring Mandera County at least 900 tutors left because of insecurity.

Teachers in the northern region have borne the brunt of frequent attacks by the Shabaab militants due to the area’s close proximity to Somalia - the operating base for the militants.

Just two years ago, three people were killed including two tutors when suspected Al-Shabaab militants stormed Qarsa Primary School in Wajir.

 Following the teachers’ exit, the leadership in the three counties started working on a strategy to find homemade solutions to the teacher crisis including proposals to recruit untrained teachers to fill the gap left.

 But the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country forced them to halt some of those plans.