Written By Lisa Murimi
As Grade 9 students prepare to begin classes in January 2025, significant challenges remain, particularly the shortage of qualified teachers and insufficient infrastructure.
Despite ongoing government efforts, junior secondary schools are severely understaffed.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia informed the National Assembly Education Committee that 20,000 additional contract teachers will be recruited, bringing the total to 76,928 for Grades 7, 8, and 9.
However, this translates to just one additional teacher per school on average, highlighting the ongoing staffing crisis.
While primary and secondary schools have larger teaching staff, the shortage of science teachers is especially dire.
Macharia acknowledged that advertisements for physics positions have failed to attract applicants.
Many science subjects are currently being taught by arts teachers, a mismatch that threatens the objectives of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Infrastructure challenges also persist, with only 3,500 of the planned 11,000 Grade 9 classrooms completed.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba assured that all classrooms would be finished by January 2025, but concerns remain as the deadline approaches.
The ongoing efforts to address these shortages are crucial for the successful implementation of the CBC framework and the future of Kenya’s education system.
