Acting TSC CEO Evaleen Mitei, PS State Department of Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu and TSC Chairperson Dr. Jamleck Muturi John after a consultative meeting on June 17, 2026. /TSC
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is seeking to expand employment opportunities for Kenyan teachers willing to work abroad through the government's Mwalimu Majuu programme.
The initiative mirrors the government's Kazi Majuu programme under the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, which aims to connect skilled Kenyan professionals with verified international job opportunities in regions including Europe and the Middle East.
The move comes as the commission prepares to strengthen staffing levels locally through fresh recruitment in the 2026/27 financial year after receiving additional funding in the national budget.
TSC was allocated Sh424 billion for teachers' salaries and benefits, alongside Sh4.9 billion for the conversion of 20,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms from January 2027.
The National Treasury also set aside a further Sh8.2 billion to facilitate the conversion of 24,000 newly recruited intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms from July 2027.
Even as it pursues local recruitment, the commission is simultaneously exploring opportunities to place Kenyan teachers in overseas labour markets.
On Wednesday, TSC officials held talks with the State Department for Diaspora Affairs aimed at strengthening collaboration and establishing mechanisms for deploying more teachers to work abroad.
The meeting, attended by senior officials from both institutions, explored ways of enhancing labour mobility for Kenyan teachers in line with the Policy Framework for Teacher Engagement Outside Kenya, which was developed in 2024.
Among those present were Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu, TSC chairperson Jamleck Muturi, acting TSC chief executive officer Evaleen Mitei and Secretary for Diaspora Investments, Skills and Entrepreneurship Isaiya Kabira.
Also in attendance were TSC Director for Staffing Antonina Lentojoini and Deputy Director for Policy Planning, Research, Data and Innovation Clement Kabuti.
During the meeting, Mitei briefed officials on the steps taken in formulating the policy framework, which is designed to facilitate the safe, orderly and regulated placement of Kenyan teachers in overseas employment opportunities.
Kenya has increasingly positioned itself as a major exporter of skilled labour, with the government viewing labour migration as a key strategy for reducing unemployment, particularly among young people, while boosting foreign exchange earnings through diaspora remittances.
The policy framework is largely targeted at the hundreds of thousands of qualified but unemployed teachers across the country, especially those specialising in English, Kiswahili and Special Needs Education.
Priority destinations for teacher deployment include the United States, South Africa, Germany, China, Japan, France, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
TSC's collaboration with the ministries responsible for Labour, Diaspora and Foreign Affairs is meant to ensure the teachers are engaged under standardised and fair contracts that clearly spell out salaries, working hours, benefits and repatriation arrangements.
The framework also requires shortlisted teachers to undergo comprehensive pre-departure training covering cultural orientation, health, security and contractual obligations before taking up assignments abroad.
Teachers currently employed by TSC on permanent and pensionable terms will be required to resign before accepting overseas placements.
Those who return to Kenya after completing their contracts abroad will not be guaranteed re-employment by the commission.
However, they will be eligible to apply for future vacancies and have their international experience considered in career progression assessments.
The latest engagements could pave the way for thousands of Kenyan teachers to access employment opportunities beyond the country's borders.
TSC data shows that more than 300,000 trained teachers remain unemployed, making overseas placement programmes a potentially significant avenue for absorbing part of the growing pool of qualified educators.
Kenyan professionals continue to attract demand in international labour markets due to their strong English-language proficiency, internationally recognised training standards, strong work ethic and adaptability.
Their ability to integrate into diverse and multicultural work environments has further enhanced their appeal to employers across various sectors, including education, where demand for qualified teachers remains high in several countries.
