TSC Sounds Alarm Over Teacher Shortages as Aviation, Construction and Media Emerge Among Most In-Demand CBE Subjects
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has identified aviation, building and construction, media technology and creative arts among the most critical teaching areas facing acute shortages as Kenya accelerates the rollout of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.
The commission is now calling on universities to urgently redesign their teacher training programmes to produce specialists capable of handling the new learning areas, warning that the success of the senior school phase of CBE depends heavily on the availability of qualified teachers.
Speaking during the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday, July 8, TSC Director of Teacher Education and Capacity Development Reuben Namburi said institutions of higher learning must realign their curricula to meet the changing needs of Kenya’s education system.
According to Namburi, several subjects introduced under CBE remain underserved because universities have not yet developed sufficient programmes to train teachers in those specialised fields.
“We are pleading with universities to begin reorganising their curricula so as to rebuild courses that include subjects such as building and construction, woodwork, among others,” Namburi said.
He explained that many of the learning areas introduced under the competency-based curriculum require practical and technical expertise that is currently in short supply across the country.
Among the subjects TSC has identified as requiring urgent investment in teacher training are building and construction, aviation, woodwork, media technology, marine and fisheries studies, pre-technical studies, integrated science, home science, music and dance, theatre and film, creative arts, and sports and recreation.
Namburi noted that the shortage is most pronounced at the senior school level, where learners are expected to pursue specialised career pathways requiring teachers with industry-specific knowledge and practical skills.
“Those subjects for senior school have the biggest challenge. Remember, these subjects are new introductions in the CBE curriculum,” he said.
The TSC official revealed that the commission has already written to universities advising them to review their academic programmes and establish courses that will attract more students into specialised teaching careers.
“We have written an advisory to universities on this area, and we are pleading with them to revise their subject offerings so they can attract students into these fields. We need to reach a point where universities are producing enough qualified teachers to meet the country’s needs,” he added.
The appeal comes as Kenya prepares for the expanded implementation of senior school under the Competency-Based Education system, where learners will follow specialised pathways in areas such as science, technology, arts, sports and technical education.
Unlike the previous 8-4-4 system, CBE places greater emphasis on practical skills, innovation, creativity and career development, increasing demand for teachers with expertise beyond traditional classroom subjects.
Education stakeholders have repeatedly warned that unless universities quickly align their teacher education programmes with the new curriculum, schools could face significant staffing gaps that may slow the full implementation of senior school pathways.
TSC’s latest appeal signals growing concern that the supply of specialised teachers has not kept pace with the reforms, even as thousands of learners prepare to transition into the next phase of the competency-based education system.
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