Why Kenyan teachers are being rejected for jobs abroad as TSC moves to overhaul training
Education
By
Lewis Nyaundi
| Jul 09, 2026
Kenyan teachers seeking jobs overseas are increasingly being turned away because their training does not fully meet the requirements of foreign education systems.
Speaking during a meeting with universities, TSC Director for Teacher Professional Development Reuben Ntamburi said many countries are interested in recruiting Kenyan teachers but some applicants fail to secure employment because of gaps in their qualifications and training.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has blamed universities for failing to provide proof of practical classroom experience they receive before graduating.
Gideon Nthamburi, the Director of Teacher Development at the TSC, said while teachers leave university with the required academic qualifications, their certificates do not reflect enough supervised teaching practice to meet the standards set by foreign employers.
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The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) says several countries recruiting teachers are placing greater emphasis on practicum, where trainee teachers spend extended periods teaching in real classrooms under supervision.
The experience allows graduates to demonstrate classroom management, lesson delivery and learner assessment skills. To address the gap, TSC now wants universities to review their teacher education programmes by increasing and strengthening teaching practice.
The commission says trainees should spend more time in classrooms and receive structured supervision and assessment before qualifying as teachers.
The proposed changes are expected to produce graduates who are ready to teach both in Kenya and abroad. “We have realised that some of our teachers are missing opportunities abroad because the training they receive does not fully match what some countries require. We must prepare teachers who can compete both locally and internationally,” Ntamburi said.
He said the gaps are mainly in areas such as competency-based pedagogy, practical classroom exposure, digital literacy, inclusive education, assessment methods, subject specialisation and familiarity with international teaching standards.
In some cases, he said, teachers also lack sufficient evidence of structured practicum, continuous professional development and internationally recognised certification pathways. Ntamburi said TSC has begun engaging universities, vice chancellors and deans to review teacher preparation programmes as part of wider reforms to teacher registration.
“The demand for Kenyan teachers continues to grow. Our responsibility is to ensure they meet both local and international standards so they are not disadvantaged during recruitment,” he said.
The review is expected to ensure graduates acquire competencies recognised beyond the country while remaining qualified to teach under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum. It will also look at entry requirements, course content, teaching practice, mentorship, assessment and the balance between theory and classroom application.
Ntamburi said the revised teacher registration framework has already been aligned with the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms and is awaiting approval before being submitted to Parliament.
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