Ruto announces 50,000 teacher promotions, 20,000 permanent jobs in 2027

President William Ruto announced plans to promote 50,000 teachers in the largest single-year teacher promotion exercise in Kenya’s history.

Speaking during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebrations, Ruto said the government would increase the number of promotion opportunities advertised by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) from 34,016 to 50,000.

He said the government would provide the additional funds required to finance the expanded promotion programme.

The President also announced that 20,000 teachers currently serving on contract and who have completed two years of service will be moved to permanent and pensionable terms from January 2027.

The move will be backed by Sh4.9 billion allocated in the 2026/27 budget.

Ruto said the government had recruited 100,000 teachers over the past four years, with another 20,000 expected to join by December, bringing the total number recruited under his administration to 120,000.

He said the recruitment was aimed at addressing a teacher shortage that stood at 116,000 when his administration assumed office.

Career progression

Ruto said 126,462 teachers had been promoted since he took office, but acknowledged concerns raised by teachers over prolonged stagnation in particular job grades.

He said the government had fulfilled commitments he made to teachers last year, including reviewing career progression guidelines and doubling the teacher promotions budget from Sh1 billion to Sh2 billion.

The revised career progression guidelines have been finalised by the TSC and teachers’ unions and are awaiting approval by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

Teachers’ healthcare

The President also highlighted improvements in teachers’ medical coverage under the Social Health Authority.

He said the scheme currently covers 415,608 teachers and 884,392 dependants, while more than 680,000 teachers and their family members accessed various medical services between December 2025 and September 2026.

According to Ruto, teachers’ inpatient access rate has doubled from 7 per cent to 14 per cent, bringing it on par with other civil servants.

The number of facilities where teachers can access inpatient services has also increased from about 900 to 3,871 facilities across public, faith-based and private providers.

Salaries, housing and pensions

Ruto said the government had allocated Sh8.1 billion in the current budget to support implementation of the teachers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement.

He also said teachers had been allocated 20 per cent of units in affordable housing developments, under an agreement between the Affordable Housing Board, KNUT and KUPPET.

The government is working with TSC to establish a check-off system allowing teachers to pay for their homes directly from their salaries.

On pensions, Ruto said the TSC and National Treasury began rolling out a Pension Management Information System on July 1, 2026, with the aim of processing retirement benefits faster.

He said the government expects teachers to receive their retirement benefits within 10 days of retirement once the system is fully operational.

Education reforms

Ruto defended his administration’s education reforms, saying the government had confronted longstanding challenges in the sector rather than postponing difficult decisions.

He said more than 23,000 classrooms had been constructed across the country, while 1,600 laboratories were being equipped to support science education and Senior School pathways.

More than 220,000 teachers have also been retooled for Competency-Based Education, with an additional Sh952 million allocated for teacher capacity development.

Ruto said education funding had increased from Sh526 billion to Sh702 billion and now Sh784.5 billion, making education the largest-funded sector in the national budget.

He also reiterated plans under the proposed Tertiary Education, Placement and Funding Bill, 2026 to provide full funding for students admitted to universities, technical colleges and Kenya Medical Training College.

Focus on STEM and digital skills

Ruto urged teachers to embrace technology, artificial intelligence, science and digital learning as Kenya prepares for a more knowledge-driven economy.

He said 58 per cent of learners in the pioneer CBE cohort selected the STEM pathway in Senior School, while mathematics emerged as the best-performing subject in the latest KCSE examinations.

He challenged teachers to become lifelong learners and equip themselves with digital and technological skills.

“Our children cannot learn tomorrow’s skills from yesterday’s methods,” Ruto said.

He said Kenya’s ambition to become a first-world nation within a generation would ultimately depend on the quality of its human capital.

Teachers urged to protect exam integrity

With the national examination season approaching, Ruto urged teachers to support candidates while protecting the integrity of national examinations.

He warned against examination cheating, saying certificates obtained dishonestly undermine public confidence and could follow candidates throughout their lives.

The President concluded by describing teachers as the people who “build the people who build Kenya”, thanking them for their role in shaping the country’s future.