Mass Teacher Exodus Leaves Turkana Schools in Crisis!

Education leaders in Turkana County are raising concerns over a mass teacher transfer orchestrated by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), leaving schools critically understaffed.

The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) has accused TSC of moving over 47 teachers from Turkana to Baringo County without providing replacements, disrupting learning in the marginalized region.

Speaking at a press briefing on February 8, KESSHA Secretary Michael Ejikon condemned the move, stating that the transfers violate students’ right to education. His sentiments were echoed by Areman Simon, the Kenya Union of Post Primary School Teachers (KUPPET) representative, who warned that some schools had lost nearly all their teachers.

Areman further claimed that even teachers who refused transfers were still forced to relocate, calling the move a “major disservice” to learners.

This crisis comes amid longstanding teacher shortages in Kenyan schools, with overcrowded classrooms and a lack of subject specialists. Despite government pledges to recruit more teachers, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia previously admitted that filling vacancies, especially in science subjects, remains a challenge.