Four years into President William Ruto’s administration, Kenya’s education sector has recorded a major expansion in its teaching workforce and school infrastructure, with more than 100,000 teachers recruited and over 23,000 classrooms constructed since 2022.
The government has placed education at the centre of its development agenda, responding to growing enrolment and the rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) with a sustained investment in teachers, classrooms and learning facilities.
The recruitment drive has helped improve the pupil-teacher ratio, while new classrooms have eased pressure on schools as millions of learners progress through the new education system.
When Ruto took office in 2022, Kenya was facing an estimated shortage of about 116,000 teachers. The government responded with an ambitious recruitment programme aimed at strengthening staffing levels and ensuring that learners have access to teachers as the education system expands.
Since then, more than 100,000 teachers have been recruited through permanent, contractual and internship programmes, marking one of the largest expansions of Kenya’s teaching workforce in recent years.
President Ruto has described the programme as a major milestone for the education sector, with another 20,000 teachers planned for recruitment.
“We have hired more than 100,000 teachers in just three years, with 20,000 more set to be hired this year,” Ruto said in June.
The additional recruitment is expected to further strengthen staffing in schools and support the continued transition to Junior Secondary School and Senior School.
A stronger teaching workforce
The expansion of the teaching workforce has been reflected in improved staffing levels across the country.
Data compiled from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Economic Surveys covering 2023 to 2026, together with Teachers Service Commission submissions, shows that the teaching workforce grew from about 342,700 teachers in 2022 to an estimated 442,000 in 2026.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has also reported a significant improvement in the pupil-teacher ratio, from one teacher for every 45 learners in 2022 to one for every 29 learners.
The improvement represents a major step towards creating better learning environments and giving teachers more manageable classroom responsibilities.
The government has also placed particular emphasis on areas that have historically experienced teacher shortages.
In Northern Kenya, recruitment and training of local teachers is being used to strengthen staffing while improving retention.
During Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir, President Ruto said 1,800 local teachers from Wajir, Mandera and Garissa had been recruited for deployment in the region.
He also said 4,616 young people from the three counties had enrolled in teacher training colleges.
The strategy is expected to help schools in hardship areas build a more stable teaching workforce by creating opportunities for local residents to train and serve in their communities.
Thousands of new classrooms
The expansion has not been limited to teacher recruitment.
More than 23,000 classrooms have been constructed since 2022 to accommodate growing enrolment and support learners moving through the CBC system.
About 16,000 classrooms were constructed through the Ministry of Education, while another 7,000 were supported through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund.
The investment has helped schools respond to the additional space requirements created by the introduction of Junior Secondary School.
As more learners progress through the CBC system, the government is now expanding its focus towards specialised facilities needed at Senior School.
Preparing schools for Senior School
The transition of the first CBC cohort into Grade 10 marks a new stage in Kenya’s education reforms.
To support the transition, the government says it is constructing 1,600 science laboratories, strengthening schools’ capacity to offer Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programmes.
Ruto said in June that 52 per cent of learners in the first Grade 10 cohort had selected the STEM pathway.
The high interest in STEM is expected to increase demand for specialised teachers and facilities, but it also signals growing opportunities for learners to pursue technical and science-based careers.
Other pathways being offered include Technical Studies, Performing Arts, Home Science and Sports Science.
The expansion of these pathways is expected to give learners greater choice while aligning education more closely with different talents, interests and career opportunities.
Investing in teachers
Alongside recruitment, the government has continued to invest in teacher development and career progression.
Ruto has said Sh1.6 billion was allocated for teacher capacity building, while another Sh1 billion was set aside for promotions.
TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia said 151,611 teachers had been promoted over two years through common cadre and competitive processes.
The continued investment in training and career development is aimed at strengthening the teaching profession while giving teachers opportunities to advance in their careers.
A new phase for education
The progress recorded since 2022 points to a significant expansion of Kenya’s education infrastructure and teaching workforce.
More than 100,000 additional teachers, over 23,000 classrooms and improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio have provided additional capacity as the country implements one of its biggest education reforms in decades.
The next phase will focus on ensuring that the growing workforce and expanded infrastructure keep pace with rising enrolment and the needs of Senior School.
With the CBC transition moving into a new stage, the government is now building on the gains made in teacher recruitment and infrastructure to strengthen specialised learning, expand opportunities for learners and create a more responsive education system.
The progress since 2022 provides a foundation for the next chapter of Kenya’s education reforms, with continued investment expected to play a key role in ensuring that more learners have access to teachers, classrooms and pathways that prepare them for the future.
