The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has witnessed mass resignation from teachers who are seeking to practice abroad.
The teachers are signing contracts to travel to the United States and the United Kingdom to where they are experiencing a shortage of teachers.
According to media reports, the two countries are facing a deficit of at least 400,000 and Kenyan teachers are among those willing to fill the void.
The teachers in question have also noted that the salary they are being offered for teaching abroad is a far cry from what they receive in Kenya.
In an interview with NTV, some teachers who are on their way out of the country attributed the move to skewed and delayed promotions.
“In Kenya if you decide to become a teacher the only thing that you can afford is a small house maybe a two-bedroom and pay school fees for only two children,” Felix Wanyaga said.
The teachers called on the government to improve remuneration of teachers to prevent teachers from working elsewhere.
“Before then we were getting the promotion on merit then it stopped and we were told that if you need promotion you must go back to campus,” another teacher, Silvia Wanjiru said.
Peter Ruhiri of Pesuar Consultancy explained that most countries are grappling with shortage of teachers as most of them died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Opportunities are there and I’m telling you as we speak I have thousands and thousands of teachers who are reaching out to me,” he said.
According to a 2022 report by the US Department of Education, 41 states in the US are facing shortages in at least one subject area or grade level.
The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the teacher shortage situation—necessitating immediate action to address the growing crisis in the education sector.