TSC has started issuing appointment letters to newly recruited teachers who replaced those who exited service due to natural attrition. This is a big step in addressing teacher shortage in various schools across the country.
Appointment and Posting Process
Teachers who got replacement positions in Mombasa are celebrating after receiving their appointment letters. This follows the vetting exercise that was conducted from February 17 to 28, 2025 where candidates were verified and those who passed went to fill employment forms and wait for posting.
With the appointment letters out, the next step will be to issue posting letters to the respective teachers. However, TSC has mandated all newly appointed teachers to register with Social Health Authority (SHA) by signing up at Afya Yangu before they assume duty.
Teacher Replacement Breakdown
The replacement exercise was on permanent and pensionable terms and TSC declared:
- 5,862 positions for primary schools
- 21 positions for junior schools
- 2,824 positions for secondary schools
2025 Replacement Exercise Highlights
1. Intern Teachers Were Considered for Recruitment
Unlike previous years, intern teachers were allowed to apply for the advertised replacement slots. All intern teachers were awarded 50 marks in the replacement scoring system.
In January 2025, TSC had hired and posted 20,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on one year internship. After the recent recruitment, 1,645 JSS intern teachers were absorbed to permanent teaching positions in secondary schools.
2. Preference was given to Local Teachers
Non local teachers faced challenges in getting the positions as TSC prioritized local teachers. The hiring process followed this order of preference:
- Teachers from the sub-county
- Teachers from the county
- Teachers from the region
- Teachers from other counties (only if vacancies remained)
3. More Teachers are interested in Secondary School Teaching
There is growing interest in JSS teachers to move to secondary schools. This is due to various challenges in the primary school environment including:
- Heavy workloads
- Unclear career progression
- Poor infrastructure and facilities
- Lack of motivation
4. Marks for Upgraded Qualifications
For primary school teachers, TSC gave 5 extra marks to holders of Primary Teacher Education (PTE) certificates who had upgraded to Upgraded Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (UDPTE).
Replacement of JSS Intern Teachers
To ensure continuity in learning, TSC has started the process of replacing JSS intern teachers who got permanent positions. Internship contracts for these teachers are being terminated as they receive their employment and posting letters.
Also, TSC has asked primary school headteachers who are also acting as principals in JSS to submit staffing data. Headteachers are required to submit the following information in an Excel template:
- Student enrollment and gender distribution in Grades 7, 8, and 9
- Number of teachers, subject combinations and gender