The government has unveiled plans to secure employment opportunities abroad for unemployed teachers in Kenya, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura announced on Monday, December 9.
In a statement, Mwaura highlighted that five key countries, including the United States, Germany, Ireland, Thailand, and South Africa, are in high demand for qualified tutors. He further noted that the government is targeting a total of 17 countries under its job migration plan.
Earlier this year, President William Ruto’s administration flagged off a group of Kenyan teachers to take up roles in U.S. district schools as part of the broader initiative.
“The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is one of the largest employers in Africa, managing a workforce of 410,258 teachers,” Mwaura stated.
“This is against a register of over 805,000 registered teachers, with those not employed by the government working in private institutions and mission schools, while over 300,000 qualified teachers remain unemployed.”
Mwaura expressed confidence in the administration’s strategy, citing the success of securing jobs for Kenyans abroad in other sectors. Over 105,367 Kenyans have already secured employment overseas in fields such as healthcare, agriculture, engineering, financial systems, ICT, and computer science.
Additionally, the spokesperson noted that the National Employment Authority (NEA) is playing a pivotal role in enhancing job access for youth, minorities, and marginalized groups. The authority currently lists over 560,000 job openings for qualified Kenyans both locally and internationally.
The initiative aligns with the government’s ongoing efforts to address unemployment by creating avenues for skilled professionals to access global opportunities.
