The government has announced plans to recruit 24,000 new teachers by January 2026, marking another milestone in efforts to address the ongoing teacher shortage in Kenya’s public schools.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba made the announcement during the World Teachers’ Day celebrations held at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. He noted that the initiative is part of the government’s broader plan to strengthen the education system and ensure equitable access to quality learning across the country.
“The government has employed a historic 76,000 teachers in two years. A further 24,000 teachers are to be employed by January 2026, making a total of 100,000 teachers in a record three years,” said CS Ogamba.
The Education CS highlighted that many public schools, especially in remote and marginalized areas, continue to face high student-to-teacher ratios, hindering effective learning. The additional recruitment, he said, will ease pressure on existing staff and improve learning outcomes.
According to the Ministry of Education, the recruitment will prioritize counties most affected by teacher shortages and focus on subject-specific needs, particularly in secondary schools.
The theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage” reflects the urgency of the government’s plan.
President William Ruto also reaffirmed the commitment during the 2025 Labour Day celebrations, revealing that Sh2.4 billion has been set aside to hire 20,000 intern teachers in January 2026. Additionally, Sh1.6 billion will go toward teacher capacity building and Sh1 billion for promotions.
Since 2022, the government has reduced the teacher shortage once estimated at over 116,000 through consistent recruitment drives and welfare programs spearheaded by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
