Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba disclosed the figures during the Teacher Education Conference in Mombasa, where over 600 stakeholders were in-attendance.
According to TSC data, junior secondary schools are short of 72,422 teachers, while senior secondary schools face a deficit of 65,070. This translates to nearly 49 per cent and 33 per cent staffing gaps respectively, with the shortage most acute in science, vocational, and STEM subjects.
CS Ogamba said the shortage is driven by growing student enrolment and the demands of Competency-Based Education (CBE). He stressed that addressing the crisis requires sustained recruitment, policy reforms, and investment in training programmes.
Despite the shortfall, the supply pipeline is struggling to keep up. Public diploma colleges can admit about 49,000 teacher trainees, while universities have enrolled more than 183,000 students in education programmes. However, most are concentrated in arts and science education, leaving gaps in specialized fields.
Placement data from KUCCPS shows that 68,972 students joined education degree programmes in the 2025/2026 cycle, 40 per cent of all degree admissions. Yet, a backlog of 369,430 registered but unemployed teachers remains, even as TSC manages a workforce of 431,831.
The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms has recommended raising entry requirements for pre-service training, upgrading certificate teachers to diploma level, and establishing new training institutions. It also called for structured internships, mentorships, and mandatory retooling to prepare teachers for CBE.
Ogamba affirmed that the government is committed to aligning teacher training with national priorities to ensure quality education delivery.
“Resolving this imbalance between demand and supply is critical for sustainable education development,” he said.