- In an interview with TUKO.co.ke, Julius Odhiambo talked about 10 years of financial challenges since he qualified as a P1 teacher
- He congratulated President William Ruto for completing the exercise of recruiting teachers since he came into power in 2022
- Odhiambo asked the government to consider his request and expressed hope about the future employment of teachers
Kajiado: A 37-year-old Kenyan teacher hopes to finally find employment despite a decade of anxiety.
Source: Original
Education is a popular profession in Kenya, but as of April 2024, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) had only recruited 406,860 teachers in primary and secondary schools.
President William Ruto when he came to power in 2022, addressing the teacher shortage was a major commitment, and since 2023, the government has hired a record number of 100,000 teachers, including 24,000 in 2025.
The positive development is what gave teacher Julius Odhiambo Abondo new hope to fulfill his long-term dreams, praising President William Ruto for fulfilling promises to expand teachers’ jobs.
Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke on Tuesday, January 13, Odhiambo said he welcomed the government’s move to hire more than 100,000 teachers and reduce the backlog that left many qualified teachers waiting to be hired.
“I have not had a TSC job for 10 years, but I am happy for the president for hiring more than 100,000 of my colleagues. Since he came to power, he has tried to reduce the backlog. In fact, he has done more than double what was done by the previous two administrations,” he said.
Source: Original
Odhiambo also welcomed the release of 50 percent of student funds, saying the move has reduced pressure on schools.
Has Julius Odhiambo experienced a difficult life?
The P1 teacher from Chemelil, County Poisonousnarrated the difficult journey to achieve graduation at Shanzu College in 2014.
He said financial challenges forced him to drop out of school in Form Two and work in sugarcane farming before returning to complete his studies.
“I have been through a very difficult life. I dropped out of school in Form Two because my parents couldn’t afford the fees and I spent a year cultivating sugar cane in Muhoron. Later I went back to school, but I still couldn’t earn fees. Fortunately, I got a part-time job with IEBC during the referendum in 2010, which helped me pay the fees for Form Four after KCSE,” he remembered.
He went on to explain how the villagers intervened to help him get into college, but that support was not enough to protect him from the ongoing financial burden.
Odhiambo, a father of two, says finishing school did not end his challenges.
He disclosed that he has worked in more than five private schools to support his family, but in some, he left due to unpaid salaries and mounting debts.
“Private schools are good, but payment in some is difficult. There is a school that I owe more than KSh 200,000 of salary that was not fully paid,” he said.
He added that financial pressure forced him to transfer his children to a public school in the village and seek employment in the cities, citing low wages and lack of resources in rural centers.
Does Julius Odhiambo ask to be remembered in employment?
Now in Kitengela, Odhiambo asked the president and the relevant authorities to consider his request for employment, saying he is ready to be sent to work anywhere in the country.
“There was an announcement for positions to take retirees in November 2025, and now we are waiting for review. We were told that the interview may be held next week. It is my humble request that the government consider my request,” he said.
He also encouraged his colleagues not to get tired but to be patient, expressing hope that they will all be employed by TSC in the near future.
KNEC launches a website to train teachers on CBA assessment
Meanwhile, the Kenya Examinations Council (KNEC) launched an online training website to train secondary school teachers on Competency Based Curriculum (CBA) assessment.
The authority noted that currently, access to the site is free for interested teachers.
It also detailed the registration process and warned teachers that they must complete one unit before moving on to the next.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
