TSC Seeks More Funds to Hire Teachers and Pay Salaries

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is asking Parliament to increase its budget for the 2026/27 financial year as the cost of paying teachers continues to rise.
The commission wants Sh422.96 billion, which is Sh36 billion more than the Sh387.18 billion allocated in the current budget. TSC says the additional money will help it recruit 16,000 new teachers and meet salary commitments under the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Budget details show that more than Sh412 billion of the requested funds will go toward teacher salaries, promotions, and statutory benefits, highlighting how a large share of the education budget is spent on payroll.

Part of the plan also includes Sh7.2 billion to move about 20,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms. This shift is expected to strengthen staffing in schools but will also increase long-term salary and pension costs.

At the same time, the second phase of the 2025–2029 CBA is expected to cost Sh8.4 billion in the 2026/27 financial year, adding pressure on the education budget.

TSC says the recruitment drive is aimed at supporting junior and senior schools as the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) expands into higher levels. The commission notes that it has hired about 100,000 teachers over the past three financial years, helping reduce the teacher shortage that had earlier been estimated at 116,000.