TSC advertises for posts of 70,000 teachers as strike continues

The government has announced vacancies for 70,000 teachers after the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) defied a court order to call off the four-week old strike that has paralysed learning in all government schools.

In a letter, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) said it was “advertising 70,000 posts of relief teachers (50,000 Primary and 20,000 Secondary) for a period of three (3) months to alleviate the effects of the current teacher shortage in the country.”

“The teachers will be hired on a three month contract and will thereafter be considered on priority basis for employment on permanent terms when vacancies arise,” read the letter.

Eligible candidates should be Kenya citizens; aged 45 years and below; have original Professional and Academic Certificates; and be registered as a teacher as per Section 23 of the Teachers Service Commission Act.

“All applicants, both Primary and Secondary should submit their applications together with certified copies of certificates, transcripts, testimonials and I.D Card to the TSC County Directors of their respective home counties not later than 5^th October, 2015,” added the statement.

TSC further said that applicants for vacancies in Primary Schools must be holders of P1 Certificate while those for Secondary Schools must be holders of a minimum of Diploma in Education Certificate.

It further cautioned those interested in applying for the positions not to pay any monies as the recruitment exercise is free of charge.

“The Teachers Service Commission would wish to forewarn applicants against fraudsters who might extort money from unsuspecting persons purporting to be in a position to assist in the recruitment,” cautioned TSC.

Successful applicants were also warned against filling employment forms in more than one station as this will lead to disqualification.

The announcement by TSC comes four weeks into the teachers’ strike that has attracted endless court battles.