CS Ogamba raises alarm over teachers ignoring jobs in hardship areas
By Kenneth Mwenda, September 23, 2025Kilifi and other hardship areas in Kenya continue to face severe teacher shortages, with some government postings remaining unfilled due to security and living challenges.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, during a night interview on television, that many teachers do not apply for employment in these areas.
Ogamba explained that while the government has employed 76,000 teachers in recent years and plans to recruit another 24,000 by December 2025, the problem persists in regions considered difficult to work in. He noted that some teachers refuse postings to Kilifi and other hardship areas because of the challenging conditions.
“In fact, there are instances where teachers do not even apply to be employed to come into this particular area,” he said.
To address the gap, the government is considering absorbing teachers already employed by Boards of Management (BOMs) into the Teacher Service Commission (TSC). This step aims to ensure that schools in hardship areas have enough qualified staff. Ogamba emphasised that the government is rationalising teacher deployment to balance numbers across counties.
The shortage comes amid ongoing education reforms targeting junior school education. Ogamba stated that the reforms, combined with the rationalisation of teacher deployment, are designed to improve access to quality education nationwide.
“Where we find that perhaps certain teachers are more in one area and less in another, we can deploy and ensure that we have covered that shortfall,” he added.
Teachers recruitment
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki earlier confirmed the scale of the government’s recruitment effort. Speaking in Nyeri County on August 8, 2025, he said the Ruto administration has employed more teachers in less than three years than any other government in Kenya’s history.
Before 2022, Kenya recruited about 5,000 teachers annually, but under this government, 76,000 teachers have been hired. By December, the total is expected to reach 100,000, representing nearly a third of all teachers employed since independence.
The teacher shortage is partly linked to security concerns in certain regions. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced plans to arm chiefs and assistant chiefs in terror-prone areas, including Mandera, before December 2025.
The initiative aims to protect local administrators from extremist groups and security threats. Chiefs who require training will be trained in firearm use, while others will receive weapons immediately.
Murkomen also highlighted the government’s efforts to maintain peace along Kenya’s borders with Ethiopia and Somalia. He said patrols, community engagement, and recruitment of National Police Reservists will strengthen security in these areas.