TSC Ethnic Dominance: 4 Tribes Represent 57 Per Cent of Newly Recruited Teachers.
The latest recruitment by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) into Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) has been dominated by four ethnic groups—Kalenjins, Luhyas, Kikuyus, and Kambas—who together make up 57 per cent of the newly hired workforce.
In its presentation to the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration, the TSC disclosed that more than 68,313 teaching positions were filled across over 58 ethnic groups. Kalenjins led with 10,769 recruits, followed by Luhyas with 10,466, Kambas at 9,557, and Kikuyus with 8,799.
The report highlighted that certain communities had minimal representation, with the Ogaden contributing only five recruits, Njemps seven, and Kenyan Asians ten.
Recruitment Process and Ethnic Distribution
The Commission stated that its recruitment policy is implemented at the Sub-County level to ensure all Kenyans have a fair and equal opportunity for employment, as outlined in the Constitution.
The TSC also clarified that the observed ethnic disparities were due to merit-based selection, which depends on the availability of qualified applicants in different regions and subject areas.
Although TSC acknowledged its efforts to achieve ethnic balance, it noted that regional variations are inevitable due to differing numbers of eligible candidates.
Read Also: TSC Seeks Sh70 Billion to Recruit 98,461 Teachers
In terms of gender, men slightly outnumbered women, comprising 51.3 per cent of the new recruits. The majority of those hired are young, aged between 22 and 35 years. Additionally, 423 qualified individuals living with disabilities who applied for the positions were also hired.
While this figure remains below the 5 per cent threshold set by the Persons with Disabilities Act (2003), TSC affirmed that all qualified applicants with disabilities who submitted their applications were duly considered and recruited based on merit.
TSC Ethnic Dominance: 4 Tribes Represent 57 Per Cent of Newly Recruited Teachers
