The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has commenced the process to deploy primary school teachers to special schools and units.
A number of Sub Counties already started data collection exercise with some using Google Forms to capture teachers details.
This is the first batch of teachers to be deployed this year as the Commission addresses staffing gaps bedevilling special schools.
Last year the Commission deployed primary school teachers as it targeted a total of 3,600 teacher deployments to special schools and units.
This is after TSC revealed that some special schools are seriously understaffed while primary schools were in excess of 18,057 teachers.
The deployments majorly focussed on primary school teachers though a number of secondary school teachers were included too.
The Commission embarked on deployments of the teachers which was done in phases for lack of funds.
The first phase happened in September 2024. The second phase happened in January 2025 and the third deployment phase was done from June last year.
TSC targeted teachers with Diplomas and Degree in Special Needs Education (SNE). It said Special Needs Schools in the country are facing a shortage of 5,362 teachers.
The Commission hired and deployed 1,763 teachers to schools in the month of May 2024.
Primary school teachers with Diplomas in SNE will be posted to serve in primary school special schools and units inline with their areas of specialization.
Unlike deployment of teachers to junior and senior schools which is usually done online, for special school deployments teachers details are captured and sent to TSC Curriculum Support Officers (CSO) for processing of their deployment which are usually done instantly upon verification.
Details collected from the teachers include; Teacher Name and TSC Number, County, Sub County, Zone, Current School, Proposed Special School or Unit, Phone Number, Area of SNE training (HI, VI, MH, AUTISM, CP, DEAF BLIND).
The Commission is also planning deployment of primary school teachers to junior schools sometime this year. The deployments are likely to start after the July budget.
TSC listed requirements primary school teachers must have for their deployment to work in JSS.
The Commission has listed both academic qualifications and documents that are mandatory for the deployment process.
P1 teachers who meet the minimum requirements will visit the online portal when advertisements are made, where they will input TSC number, ID number and surname before proceeding to place an application.
Since inception of junior schools, TSC targets deployment of at least 6,000 PTE teachers to the institution each year as it seeks to address a 72,422 teacher shortage.
However many P1 teachers lack the requisite qualification required for their deployment to junior schools.
Application portal for Deployment of p1 teachers with Diploma and Degree to junior secondary school.
In a press statement CS Education Julius Migos had said “qualified primary school teachers will be deployed to junior schools to progressively ensure that each school is adequately staffed”.
The Commission had stated that the institutions require a total of 149,350 teachers to handle Grade 7, 8 and 9 after it employed 76,928 teachers.
Close to ten thousand primary school teachers have been deployed to serve in junior schools in the last two years.
The Commission has been deploying P1 teachers since 2019 as a form of promotion after numerous complaints of stagnation from primary school teachers who upgraded their academic certificates.
In 2019, 2020 and 2021 a total of 1,000 P1 teachers were deployed each year to secondary schools while in 2022 to 2024 around 8,378 teachers were deployed to serve the first cohorts of CBC in junior schools.
Primary School teachers wishing to be deployed to JSS must be qualified to teach in secondary schools. The teacher MUST meet the following requirements:
i) Have an active registration as a teacher with the Teachers Service Commission.
ii) Is employed as a primary school teacher with the Teachers Service Commission.
iii) Should not be currently serving an interdiction or undergoing a disciplinary process.
iv) Have a minimum of a Diploma in Education with a minimum of C+ at KCSE (or it’s equivalent) with C+ in two teaching subjects currently being offered in the school curriculum (either under 8-4-4 or CBC) or two (2) principles and one (1) subsidiary pass at “A” Level.
At least 8 units in each of the two teaching subjects.
Those with a minimum of C (plain) at KCSE (or its equivalent) and have undertaken a Diploma in Education together with a Bachelor Degree in Education qualify.
v) The degree certificate must be Bachelor of Education. Bachelor of Education (Primary Option) holders are not eligible.
Candidates are expected to present the following documents during verification exercise:
i) Original and copy of the degree/diploma certificate;
ii) Original and copies of the academic transcripts;
iii) Original and copy of SNE qualification (where applicable);
iv) Original and copy of the KCSE certificate (or its equivalent);
v) A copy of the current payslip;
vi) A declaration by the Head of Institution that the teacher is currently serving in the school and is neither serving an interdiction nor undergoing a disciplinary process.