Ruto: 100,000 new teachers to be hired in 3 years

President William Ruto has announced major progress in the government’s efforts to strengthen Kenya’s education sector, including an unprecedented scale of teacher recruitment and expansion of school infrastructure.

Speaking in Parliament during his State of the Nation address, the President said his administration has already hired 76,000, with 24,000 more expected to be recruited by January next year.

This, he said, will bring the total to 100,000 teachers in just three years, a milestone he described as an achievement unmatched in the history of our country.

Ruto noted that the current recruitment drive is aimed at easing the severe teacher shortages in public schools and ensuring effective delivery of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

On infrastructure, the President said collaboration between the national government and the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has led to the construction of 28,000 new classrooms across the country.

He added that 1,600 laboratories are currently under construction to further ease congestion in schools.

The President said these investments are giving CBC learners the dignified facilities they require.

Ruto highlighted the rapid growth of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

He said enrolment in TVETs has more than doubled, rising from 341,000 learners in 2022 to 718,000 as more young Kenyans take up courses in ICT, modern agriculture, engineering, hospitality and design.

He described TVETs as the engine of practical skills and central to preparing the youth for a competitive job market.

Ruto said the government’s commitment to education is anchored in nurturing national values such as equity, human dignity and sustainable development.

“In strengthening education at every level, we are giving life to the national values, especially equity, human dignity and sustainable development, ensuring every child has a better chance to rise,” he told lawmakers.

In January 2025, the government hired 46,000 teachers on permanent terms and recruited 20,000 more as interns.

The country's education system has long struggled with overcrowded classrooms, under-resourced schools, and high pupil-teacher ratios, especially in rural and marginalised areas.

According to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the country had a shortage of over 100,000 teachers in both primary and secondary schools as of 2022, putting immense pressure on the existing workforce.

Ruto’s administration made addressing this shortage one of its key priorities, promising not only to hire more teachers but also to improve their welfare and working conditions.

The recruitment drive and investments in training and promotions are also seen as part of efforts to meet the demands of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which requires more personalised teaching and continuous assessment.

Ruto reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting teachers, calling them “essential drivers” of national development and key to ensuring that every Kenyan child receives quality education.