In a bold and scathing statement, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has sounded the alarm over alleged political interference in the recruitment of teachers across the country — a development the union says is threatening the integrity of the entire hiring process.
Speaking during an interview on KBC, KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu did not mince his words, accusing politicians of hijacking the process traditionally overseen by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). According to Oyuu, the growing involvement of politicians has unfairly locked out qualified and deserving teachers from securing employment.
“Never in the history of the Teachers Service Commission have we seen such blatant disregard for the rule of law and professional ethics,” Oyuu charged. “The TSC must rise to the occasion and take back full control of the recruitment process.”
The outspoken union leader criticized the current system where, in some cases, employment forms — a critical step in the hiring process — are reportedly being distributed through political offices rather than by TSC officials. He described the scenario as unprecedented and deeply worrying for the future of the teaching profession in Kenya.
“The manner in which employment forms are being distributed by some politicians leaves much to be desired,” Oyuu lamented, adding that this trend is slowly eroding public trust in TSC’s ability to act as an independent institution, as prescribed by the Constitution.
Oyuu further expressed concern that the ongoing malpractice has created an environment where long-serving, experienced teachers are consistently overlooked in favor of recent graduates, with little to no explanation for the criteria being applied.
“You must be fair and human,” Oyuu urged the TSC. “The idea of picking a teacher who completed college in 2023 while leaving out one who finished in 2010 raises more questions than it answers.”
His remarks come against a backdrop of rising frustrations among unemployed trained teachers, many of whom have been waiting for years to secure positions in public schools, despite persistent staffing shortages in many regions.
According to Oyuu, some of these unemployed teachers are now in their 50s and have lost hope of ever securing formal employment in the teaching service. He stressed that the TSC must address this long-standing issue to avoid further disenfranchising these educators.
“Be human. We have teachers who are over 50 years old who are not employed. They are out there. Where do you want them to go? They must be employed,” he appealed.
The union has now put pressure on the TSC to overhaul its recruitment protocols and take decisive steps to eliminate political meddling, warning that failure to act will only worsen the crisis in the education sector.
“The Teachers Service Commission is an independent body established by law. It has the sole mandate to recruit teachers for the public education system, and any deviation from this process is unacceptable,” Oyuu emphasized.
The KNUT boss further noted that the teacher shortage problem cannot be solved fairly or sustainably if recruitment is allowed to become a political affair. He warned that this pattern not only undermines transparency but also contributes to the demoralization of teachers who have patiently waited for placement, sometimes for more than a decade.
Education stakeholders are now calling for swift intervention to address the rising concerns, with many urging Parliament to conduct an independent inquiry into the reported irregularities.
The alleged political interference has come at a time when thousands of schools are grappling with acute teacher shortages, a situation that has sparked criticism from both parents and education experts. Many argue that allowing politicians to influence the hiring process risks turning teaching appointments into favors for political loyalists, rather than basing them on merit and experience.
As the debate rages on, all eyes remain fixed on the Teachers Service Commission for its response to these serious allegations, which could have far-reaching implications for both the integrity of the recruitment process and the future of quality education in Kenya.
