Kakamega county has the highest teacher shortage in the country. This is according to the latest data provided by the Teachers Service Commission, TSC. The Western region county, Kakamega, needs about 3,544 more teachers in order to attain its curriculum based establishment (CBE).
Bungoma county, also from the western region, has a shortfall of 2,813 teachers while Bomet county (from the Rift Valley region) requires an extra 2,813 tutors.
Kirinya county (in the central region) has the lowest teacher deficit as it requires only 30 more teachers.
TSC says primary schools currently have a total of 211,046 teachers out of the required number of 259,219. This gives a shortfall of 48,173 teachers in the whole country.
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Table: Staffing gaps for primary school teachers per county
| S/NO | COUNTY | TEACHER SHORTAGE |
| 2 | Kakamega county | 3,544 |
| 7 | Bungoma county | 2,813 |
| 9 | Bomet county | 2,813 |
| 8 | West Pokot county | 2,489 |
| 10 | Narok county | 2,272 |
| 12 | Homa Bay county | 1,897 |
| 13 | Turkana county | 1,762 |
| 14 | Kwale county | 1,571 |
| 15 | Migori county | 1,495 |
| 16 | Nandi county | 1,441 |
| 17 | Siaya county | 1,438 |
| 18 | Makueni county | 1,398 |
| 19 | Busia county | 1,381 |
| 20 | Mandera county | 1,125 |
| 21 | Kajiado county | 1,000 |
| 22 | Kisumu county | 969 |
| 23 | Baringo county | 907 |
| 24 | Machakos county | 897 |
| 25 | Kisii county | 848 |
| 26 | Wajir county | 847 |
| 27 | Trans Nzoia county | 844 |
| 28 | Vihiga county | 762 |
| 29 | Kericho county | 727 |
| 30 | Meru county | 705 |
| 31 | Garissa county | 687 |
| 32 | Tana River county | 462 |
| 33 | Marsabit county | 460 |
| 34 | Murang’a county | 423 |
| 35 | Embu county | 367 |
| 36 | Elgeyo Marakwet county | 347 |
| 37 | Tharaka Nithi county | 336 |
| 38 | Nyandarua county | 329 |
| 39 | Nyeri county | 321 |
| 40 | Samburu county | 315 |
| 3 | Laikipia county | 241 |
| 4 | Mombasa county | 229 |
| 5 | Lamu county | 113 |
| 6 | Isiolo county | 78 |
| 1 | Kirinyaga county | 30 |
In terms of percentage shortfalls, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Uasin Gishu, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Murang’a, Meru, Laikipia, Isiolo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Embu and Nairobi have the least shortage of teachers. Kakamega, Kitui, Bungoma and Nakuru have the highest percentage shortfalls.
The commission says it has become difficult to address the teething gaps due to budgetary constraints. The commission has since started employing teachers on internships (alongside those on permanent and pensionable terms) to try and address the shortages. This is because lesser funds are required to enlist teachers’ services under the internship programme as opposed to the permanent and pensionable terms. The redeployment of teachers from primary to secondary schools has further created staffing gaps in the primary schools.
The commission uses set recruitment guidelines to ensure fairness during the process of employing new teachers. read the latest guidelines here; TSC Teachers’ mass recruitment guidelines and marking scheme.