Nairobi — The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has extended the recruitment of teachers amid a low number of applicants.

The commission advertised 14,000 slots that it had hoped to fill.

"Thousands of schools remain without heads of institutions and deputy heads of institutions for failure of teachers to apply for advertised positions," read a report by the TSC seen by Capital Business.

Schools that have been affected by the scarcity of tutors include special needs public schools, which have learners who are disabled.

The commission had advertised for the positions of chief principals. principals, deputy principals, head teachers and their deputies, senior masters, as well as senior teachers--positions that are yet to attract applicants.

As a result, it has extended the recruitment exercise to June 15, 2023.

The education sector in the country is battling a low number of tutors, with an estimated 96,612 this year alone.

The hiring of teachers comes barely a month after President William Ruto committed to reducing the teacher-student ratio in public schools as part of his reforms in the education sector.

The commission had planned to promote 2,733 head teachers for regular primary schools, 1,330 secondary teachers, 1,725 deputy principals, and 602 principals.

"I have instructed CS Education to look into this matter even as we wait to employ teachers next year. We will continue doing that in all our schools," he said.