NAIROBI, Kenya – The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is on the spot over its recruitment policy, with tutors accusing the commission of sidelining humanities and language graduates in favour of science teachers, despite glaring shortages in English and Literature classrooms.
According to the TSC recruitment score sheet, graduates specialising in sciences are awarded 65 marks, giving them a near-guaranteed chance of employment.
In contrast, teachers of Geography, History, and Religious Studies receive just five marks, making them 13 times less likely to secure jobs.
Mathematics teachers are ranked second with 55 marks, followed by those teaching technical and creative subjects at 40 marks.
Language teachers are allocated 25 marks, while humanities remain at the bottom of the scale.
The scoring system also factors in age, graduation year, academic performance, and co-curricular contributions. Older teachers and those who graduated earlier are given higher marks, while recent graduates earn fewer points.
Teachers argue that the criteria are discriminatory and worsen unemployment for thousands of qualified tutors.
Some say they have remained jobless for close to a decade, while fresh science graduates are absorbed almost immediately.
“Ironically, despite sidelining language and humanities teachers, Junior Secondary Schools still lack sufficient English and Literature tutors,” a group of protesting teachers wrote in a letter to the TSC dated August 26.
The educators further warned that the imbalance is forcing science teachers to take up language classes for which they were never trained, a move they say undermines the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and the overall quality of education.
TSC, however, maintains that the allocation of marks reflects the country’s demand for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers.
It also highlights policies aimed at gender balance in leadership roles and inclusivity, including promoting 1,275 teachers with disabilities in the 2024/2025 financial year—meeting the 5 per cent representation threshold.
But critics insist the policy deepens hopelessness among sidelined graduates.
“The disparity disregards equal opportunity and threatens the integrity of education,” the teachers’ letter stated.
Education stakeholders are now calling for a review of the recruitment framework to ensure all subjects are fairly represented and schools adequately staffed.
