3 tribes have half of teaching jobs in Kenya
3 tribes have half of teaching jobs in Kenya
The most recent data shows concerning disparities in the current educational system: of the 346,760 teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), nearly half come from just three ethnic communities.
According to data submitted to the National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, the Luhya Community (52,882), Kikuyus (59,010), and Kalenjin Community (59,538) have the most teachers.
171,430 teachers, or nearly half of all TSC teachers, are members of the three ethnic communities.
There are 5,700 teachers in the Embu community, 5,245 in the Maasai community, 3,248 in Taita, 3,138 in the Pokot community, 1,438 in Samburu, 1,358 in Turkana, 1,295 in Tharaka, and 1,200 in the Borana ethnic community.
Adan Haji Yusuf pressed Dr. Nancy Macharia, CEO of the TSC, to provide an explanation for the differences in teacher employment under the Commission after the data was brought before the National Assembly’s Committee on Education.
Dr. Nancy Macharia addressed the matter in her response, stating that some ethnic communities, particularly those in remote areas of the nation, have a relative lack of interest in recruiting.
By advocating for a revision of the employment mode, the TSC CEO placed the blame for the stark disparity in the ethnic distribution of teachers on the National Assembly’s Education Committee.
The CEO of TSC emphasized that the Commission had fair competition and that hiring and promotions are determined by merit. This is achieved by advertising open positions within the organization, holding interviews, and choosing and appointing employees in accordance with established policies and standards for a workforce with a national perspective.
There are ethnic disparities in employment, despite the Commission’s efforts to ensure fair competition in the recruitment of teachers. These disparities are concerning because they indicate an unequal distribution of opportunities and resources among the Commission’s staff.
