The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has come under pressure to revise its teacher hiring policy by focusing more on candidates’ academic advancement rather than solely relying on their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) argues that many capable individuals are unfairly excluded from joining the teaching profession despite having higher education qualifications like degrees and master’s degrees. KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu criticized the requirement that teachers must have at least a C plain in KCSE to qualify for a diploma teaching position, calling it outdated and unjust.
Oyuu questioned why TSC continues to block candidates who have since earned degrees from teaching Junior Secondary School simply because of their KCSE scores. He pointed out that some university lecturers had scored as low as a D+ in high school but advanced academically to become respected professionals.
He emphasized that the highest level of education a teacher has achieved should be the main consideration in recruitment, noting that many teachers upgrade their qualifications while still teaching—often making personal sacrifices to do so.
To support his argument, Oyuu cited a professor who had scored a C- in KCSE but pursued further education in Uganda, Kenya, and the United States, eventually becoming a scholar in religious education and Kiswahili.
Oyuu also stressed that KCSE scores do not always reflect a student’s potential, as performance can depend heavily on the school environment.
He urged TSC to prioritize a teacher’s qualifications and competence, especially given the current teacher shortage, where some are managing classes of over 100 students—well above the UNESCO-recommended ratio of 1 teacher to 45 students.
Additionally, he encouraged Junior Secondary School teachers to work cooperatively with their primary school colleagues, reminding them that all educators share the same mission.
Finally, Oyuu raised concerns over the fairness of the TSC recruitment process, alleging political interference and irregularities in how employment letters are distributed.
