President William Ruto has pledged to hire an additional 40,000 teachers before 2027, addressing the growing demand for educators across the country. Speaking at Nairobi School on Sunday, January 12, 2025, Ruto acknowledged the significant teacher shortages faced by many schools and outlined his commitment to resolving the issue.
Ruto highlighted that the majority of schools in Kenya currently rely on the Board of Management (BOM) to pay teachers, which has led to staffing gaps in many institutions. “The challenge of teacher shortages is real, and we need to act swiftly to ensure that every school has the teachers it needs,” the President said.
As of December 2024, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) had already hired 76,000 teachers. However, the President revealed that his administration plans to expand this number to 110,000 by the year 2027. “It is critical that we hire more teachers to meet the needs of our growing student population. We have already recruited 76,000 teachers, and we will add another 40,000 to ensure we reach a total of 110,000 teachers by 2027,” Ruto announced.
Education, according to President Ruto, remains one of the top priorities of his government. He emphasized that education is the greatest equalizer, providing every child with the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background. “In an institution of learning, all children become equal, and we are committed to providing that opportunity for every Kenyan child,” he said.
In addition to teacher recruitment, the President also discussed plans to improve school infrastructure. He mentioned that the government has completed the construction of 16,000 classrooms across the country and is focused on further expanding school facilities. “We will continue to build more classrooms, laboratories, and other essential infrastructure to support the growing number of students,” he stated.
Ruto also addressed the specific needs of Nairobi, where overcrowded schools have led to insufficient facilities. “In Nairobi City, we need to build at least 5,000 more classrooms because many of our students here are attending schools that do not have the proper facilities,” he explained. To support these efforts, the government allocated Ksh1 billion for Nairobi in the last financial year and will allocate another Ksh1 billion in the current year.
