TSC Outlines Challenges with Subject Combination in Achieving Diversity of Teachers
During a meeting with a parliamentary committee, the CEO of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in Kenya, Dr. Nancy Macharia, discussed the challenges faced by the TSC in terms of the diversity of employees.
In these areas, the emphasis typically centers on candidates’ professional qualifications rather than factors like age, gender, ethnicity, or disability. She added that, for example, a crucial consideration during the recruitment and posting of teachers at post-primary institutions is the applicant’s subject combination.
Unfortunately, most female teachers and persons with disabilities (PWDs) tend to avoid Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subject combinations, thereby limiting diversity.
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Dr. Macharia also noted that insecurity is a significant barrier to learning, resulting in a general disparity in competency levels among populations in different parts of the country. This is reflected in the employment proportion of communities in relatively stable areas.
She observed that occasionally, most individuals with disabilities hold certificates in special education diplomas rather than the necessary pedagogical training, which disadvantages them during the recruitment process due to their lack of activity in the required skills.
However, the TSC is working towards achieving gender equity, regional balance, and affirmative action for persons with disabilities. To ensure regional balance, the TSC allocates recruitment vacancies equally to counties.
Additionally, the commission always invites and encourages people with disabilities to submit their applications for recruitment and promotion positions.
For instance, five percent more slots are allocated to communities residing in ASAL areas during recruitment. Furthermore, the scorecard, selection, and interviewing tools facilitate improved scores in the affected areas.
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Before the 2010 Constitution, the TSC had 257,769 teachers from various ethnic communities. At that time, the Kikuyu community had 51,432 teachers, followed by Luhya with 40,521, Kalenjin with 38,253, and Kamba, Luo, and Kisii with 30,134, 29,065, and 20,333, respectively.
Overall, the TSC is working towards increasing diversity and promoting equity in the education sector, particularly in technical areas such as STEM.
In March 2023, TSC revealed that fifty percent of the 346,760 teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are members of three ethnic groups, highlighting the inequities in the nation’s education system.
The teachers’ employer submitted data to the National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, indicating that the Kalenjin community comprises 59,538 employees.
This figure is nearly equivalent to the sums contributed by the Kikuyu (59,010) and Luhya (52,882) communities, which collectively account for 171,430 teachers or almost half of the TSC workforce.
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According to the data, the Luo community comprises 40,657 teachers, followed by the Kisii (30,317) and Kamba (39,807) communities, with 22,164 being Meru.
The Mijikenda have 8,745 educators, followed by the Maasai (5,245), Taita (3,248), Pokot (3,138), Samburu (1,438), and Turkana (1,358), with 1,295 and 1,200 educators, respectively.
TSC Outlines Challenges with Subject Combination in Achieving Diversity of Teachers
