Nairobi — The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has set out a five-year recruitment target that will see an additional 111,870 teachers listed in a bid to address staffing gaps in public schools.

Speaking during the launch of the 2023-2027 Strategic Plan on Thursday, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia said the recruitment will build on the momentum set by President William Ruto's administration under the 2022/23 Financial Year.

"In the last financial year (2022/23), the new Kenya Kwanza Administration gave the country a short in the arm by allowing the recruitment of 30,000 teachers as part of the measures to address the existing teacher shortage," she stated.

Macharia did not however give an indication on how many teacher the commission was projecting to recruit under the 2023/24 Financial Year saying TSC will list 20,000 intern teachers.

She noted that TSC had been allocated Sh4.7 billion under the 2023/24 Financial Year for the recruitment of 20,000 intern teachers to support the staff compliment in public schools.

"For the successful implementation of this Plan over the next five years, the Commission will require an additional budget of Sh134.5 bllion," she remarked.

Kenya's teacher-student ration is estimated at 1:40 and is significantly stretched in urban areas and informal settlements.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommends a teacher-student ratio of 25 students per teacher for primary schools.