To combat the teacher unemployment crisis, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has begun exporting unemployed teachers overseas under the “Mwalimu Majuu” program. The most recent export to foreign nations is a combination of Kiswahili and English.
READ ALSO: TSC: Dr. Nancy Macharia set to leave office in march ahead of her retirement in July
According to TSC, a total of 354,234 unemployed teachers are to be exported by the government under the “Mwalimu Majuu” initiative. Teachers with degrees in English and Kiswahili with any other combination, qualify to be airlifted to Qatar and will be paid up to Ksh 170,000 a month.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia speaks
According to TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, the policy was created in response to requests for Kenyan unemployed teachers to get job opportunities.
“Our research and consultations with the State Department of Diaspora Affairs confirm that there is high demand for Kenyan teachers in USA, Ireland and Germany – especially those who can teach English. Then there is South Africa for those who can teach Kiswahili, Thailand and other Middle East Countries. The policy is a targeted response to this market demand,” Macharia said.
The commission claims that as of May 2024, it has 714,234 teachers on its registry, of which 360,000 were permanently employed by the TSC.
“Other countries that are targeted for teacher exports include Kuwait, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates, which require special needs education teachers and Qatar (Islamic religious education and science teachers). Kiswahili teachers are needed in China, France, Botswana and Japan,” said Macharia.
READ ALSO: TSC plans to issue promotion letters to teachers on April
Besides, France, Canada, Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia, Spain, China, and the United Arab Emirates, she continued, are in need of English-teaching professionals.
Macharia also stated that the government has created guidelines and a regulatory framework that will direct a plan to place thousands of unemployed teachers in at least 17 foreign nations.
The selection criteria will outline the fundamental abilities, credentials, and work history needed for a particular foreign teaching position.
“The commission has received several delegations asking for partnership for the export programme. This necessitated the development of a policy framework to guide the process. As a government institution, TSC will work closely with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Labour, who will be responsible for exploring the markets for teacher export,” Macharia explained.
READ ALSO: TSC: 20,000 JSS intern teachers to undergo retooling on CBC and CBA
Who are eligible for the ‘Mwalimu Majuu’ program?
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia has explained that those who work for the Commission or are on intern are eligible to apply for export, but they must leave before their application may be taken into consideration. She also added that those unemployed but registered under TSC are free to apply.
Before being sent overseas, teachers will also need to pass a few tests such as HIV, TB, HPV, STIs, hepatitis, and yellow fever tests. To determine their fitness, they will also undergo mental health and substance testing.
To qualify for the same, a teacher must also be a citizen of Kenya, have finished their training, earned a degree, diploma, or certificate in education from an accredited institution, and fulfilled further TSC registration criteria in order to be eligible for placement overseas.
Macharia also added that the teacher must also fulfill the criteria of Chapter Six of the Constitution and be registered with the TSC.
“The commission will liaise with respective ministries and agencies to provide an orientation programme for the selected teachers that will cover issues that include security, medical, transport, terms of engagement, remuneration, career guidance and development, cultural sensitivity, transparency and accessibility, language skills (where applicable), and specific educational practices prevalent in the host country,” the policy document read.
Teachers who successfully apply to work overseas are granted a passport by the government within three days of their application.
READ ALSO:
- Intern teachers to get stipends as from February, TSC says
- Good news to teachers as TSC clarifies on those eligible to teach in JSS
- Nancy Macharia Biography: Age, Family, Children, Tribe, Career History, & TSC CEO Profile
