When we politicise teachers' jobs we weaken pillars of governance

There are many ways to destroy a nation — but few are as insidious, humiliating and dangerous as turning the dignity of public service into a political circus.

In recent times, no scene captures our national decay more vividly than politicians—many of them aligned with the Kenya Kwanza regime—waving Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employment forms in the air like prizes at funerals and rallies. This is not leadership. This is transactional politics at its lowest, where lives are reduced to campaign tokens and the sacred calling of teaching is dragged into the mud of political expediency. 

The teaching profession was once among the most respected in our society. Teachers were pillars of the community—mentors, disciplinarians, nation-builders. TSC, as an independent commission, symbolised professionalism and fairness. It provided a structured, merit-based pathway into a career that demanded commitment, integrity, and intellect. But gone are those days. 

Today, recruitment of teachers has been hijacked by politicians who seek to use job opportunities as instruments of political reward and punishment. In public gatherings—especially in regions considered swing votes—aspiring teachers are forced to sing the praises of ruling party figures, not because they admire them, but because they believe doing so might increase their chances of getting a job.

Meanwhile, politicians shamelessly distribute employment letters as if they were campaign flyers, reinforcing a disturbing message: that survival in Kenya is less about competence and more about proximity to power. This political patronage is not just degrading—it’s dangerous. It undermines trust in public institutions.

It compromises the quality of education. It robs our children of the chance to be taught by the best minds, and instead hands classrooms over to those who may have received jobs not because of merit, but because of allegiance. Education is not a favour. It is a right. Teaching is not a reward. It is a profession. And employment in the public sector should never be a prize for political loyalty. When politicians take over the role of TSC—an independent body established under Article 237 of our Constitution—they violate both the letter and spirit of the law. Worse still, they make a mockery of the hopes of thousands of young Kenyans who worked hard, trained diligently, and dreamt of making a difference in the lives of children.

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We, products of great teachers—those who taught us not just arithmetic and grammar, but values, discipline, and a sense of purpose—must speak out. We owe it to our mentors, to the next generation of teachers, and to the children they will educate. What kind of country turns a noble calling into a campaign prop?

The Kenya Kwanza government promised reform, accountability, and job creation. Instead, it has politicised even the most basic hope of employment. It has turned schoolyards into battlegrounds for political influence and made the chalkboard a casualty of desperation and opportunism. It is unacceptable. And we must say so—loudly, clearly, and consistently.

We must demand restoration of dignity to the teaching profession. This begins by safeguarding the independence of TSC from political interference. The commission must be allowed to recruit based on objective criteria: merit, training, performance, and need—not party affiliation. Parliament must investigate and sanction any member of the executive or legislature found meddling in TSC recruitment processes.

And the EACC must treat political distribution of employment forms for what it is: abuse of office. Civil society must raise the alarm.

And the media must expose every instance where jobs are used as political bait. This is not just about teachers. It is about our collective future. When we degrade public service, we demoralise the youth. When we reduce employment to a political favour, we weaken the pillars of governance.

It is time to reclaim our country from clutches of political mediocrity. Let us defend the values that uphold merit, service, and fairness. Let us protect the institutions that guard against impunity. And let us restore dignity to the teaching profession.