A growing number of lawmakers are calling on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to implement affirmative action in its teacher recruitment process to prioritise older, unemployed graduates who have remained jobless for years despite meeting qualification requirements.
This push follows mounting pressure from jobless teachers, some of whom graduated as early as 2015 and are now approaching or surpassing 45 years of age without being absorbed into the TSC payroll. Members of Parliament, speaking through the National Assembly Education Committee, decried the current hiring model that distributes slots equally across the 396 subcounties, without factoring in the number of qualified teachers in each region.
Kabondo Kasipul MP and committee vice chairperson Eve Obara directed TSC to compile and submit a register of all unemployed teachers aged 35 and above, with the aim of prioritising them in future recruitment drives. Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei supported the move, lamenting the plight of teachers who invest heavily in their education only to remain jobless for a decade or more.
Igembe North MP Julius Taitum called for a review of the recruitment formula, noting that some subcounties with few trained teachers are recruiting recent graduates, while others with a higher concentration of trained teachers still struggle with backlogs from as far back as 2018.
TSC acting CEO Eveleen Mitei, while appearing before the committee, acknowledged the MPs’ concerns but said the commission’s decisions must be guided by constitutional and legal principles. TSC legal director Cavin Anyuor added that age-based recruitment criteria had previously been struck down by courts for being discriminatory.
Despite these legal hurdles, several MPs, including Teso South’s Mary Emaase, urged TSC to explore ways to ensure older graduates are not locked out of employment. They proposed a policy shift to ensure teachers are hired before hitting retirement age, allowing them to serve meaningfully in the profession.
As the debate continues, many are hopeful that a balanced solution will be found to address the plight of aging, unemployed teachers, ensuring they are not left behind in future recruitment efforts.
