The National Assembly has called for urgent intervention from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over the prolonged unemployment crisis facing Primary 1 (P1) trained teachers, some of whom have remained without placement for over a decade.

Raising the matter on the floor of the House on 13th August 2025, Hon. Moses Kirima (Central Imenti) asked the Commission to state measures it is taking to absorb the teachers, particularly those who graduated as early as 2010 but are yet to be employed.

“The TSC must explain why these teachers continue to languish in unemployment despite being duly trained and qualified,” Hon. Kirima said. He also sought clarity on why teachers who have acted in headteacher and deputy headteacher roles for over five years were sidelined in recent promotions, with others from outside his constituency posted to fill vacancies in Central Imenti schools.

Responding to the question, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education, Hon. Julius Melly (Tinderet, UDA), acknowledged the gravity of the matter, noting that many teachers aged 45 and above, as well as those who completed their training in 2009, had been left out of recruitment exercises.

“As a Committee, we have been engaging the TSC on this issue. They presented us with a statement recently, but the figures did not add up. I will consolidate this question with a related one raised earlier, so that we can provide a comprehensive response in the first week after recess,” Hon. Melly said.

Session Speaker, Hon. David Ochieng’, directed the Education Committee to take time to prepare a detailed response once Parliament resumes. “It is an elaborate question that touches on absorption, promotions, and regional balancing. Let us allow the Chair to bring back a full report,” he ruled.