Why it’s an opportune time to pursue a teaching degree
The Government of Kenya will hire an additional 20,000 teachers in the next financial year.
This is in an effort to address the current shortage of Junior Secondary School teachers, says the Teachers Service Commission.
All the 23,000 intern teachers who were recruited in year 2023 will also receive pensionable and permanent terms.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of a new report by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that highlights the global shortage of teachers.
Global Report on Teachers indicates that 44 million additional teachers are needed to achieve universal primary and secondary education by 2030.
“Shortages are widespread, with sub-Saharan Africa needing 15 million more teachers, while higher-income countries face retention challenges, resulting in teachers massively leaving the profession,” notes the report.
Described as “a tool to mobilize international and country efforts to empower, recruit, train, and support teachers within resilient education systems for a collaborative, innovative, and cohesive teaching profession,” the report serves as a roadmap to elevate the status of the teaching profession and ensure quality education for all learners.
The report hails Kenya as one of the countries likely to reach their teacher targets for universal enrolment among low- and lower-middle income countries in 2030, thanks to sustained training efforts by institutions such as Mount Kenya University (MKU). Kenya is ranked ahead of Nigeria, Congo, Malawi, Gambia, Namibia, and DR Congo among others.
“As for secondary education, countries projected to best meet the demand for teachers by 2030 are, once again, Kenya, with an annual rate of 29 per cent growth, as well as Central African Republic, Congo, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Montserrat, Myanmar, Philippines and United Arab Emirates,” adds the report.
UNESCO says the focus should not only be on increasing the stock of qualified teachers, but also on retaining them in the profession. “In contexts with rapidly growing populations, where the demand for new teaching positions is high, a balance is needed between expanding available spots in training institutions to ensure new recruits are adequately qualified and making the profession more attractive to ensure retention.”
At MKU, training of teachers is offered at the School of Education. The programmes include certificate, diploma, bachelor, masters and PhD. Besides direct entry into education programmes for school leavers, MKU offers innovative and flexible Online web- based Distance, Institution-Based and Electronic Learning (DIBeL) programmes for practising classroom teachers and school administrators (senior teachers, heads of departments, deputies and heads of institution).
