Nairobi — National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has raised concern over the persistent shortage of teachers in rural schools, urging the government to take urgent steps to ensure equitable distribution of teaching staff across the country.

Speaking on Saturday at St. Francis Kolongolo Girls Secondary School, Wetang'ula termed the imbalance in teacher deployment as unjustified, especially given the significant number of teachers already employed nationwide.

"Today (Saturday), I raised serious concerns regarding the acute shortage of teachers in rural schools and called upon the Ministry of Education to urgently address this imbalance through equitable staff distribution," he said.

The Speaker noted that despite the government employing over 100,000 teachers -- with plans underway to recruit an additional 20,000 -- some rural institutions continue to face critical staffing gaps.

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He cited Kolongolo Secondary School as an example, revealing it has a shortage of up to 28 teachers.

Wetang'ula acknowledged efforts by President William Ruto's administration to improve the national teacher-to-learner ratio but stressed that disparities between urban and rural schools remain a major concern.

"It is unacceptable for Kolongolo Secondary and other rural schools to have such shortages," he said.

He further called on Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to ensure that teacher deployment is guided by fairness and actual need, rather than individual preferences for urban postings.

In addition to education concerns, Wetang'ula urged leaders in the region to avoid divisive politics and instead promote unity and cohesion.

He emphasized that Trans Nzoia County reflects Kenya's diverse and cosmopolitan character, calling for collaborative efforts among leaders to foster development and harmony.

The remarks come amid a growing national debate over equitable resource allocation in the education sector, particularly in marginalised and rural regions.