President William Ruto has announced a major move to advance teachers’ careers, with thousands set to benefit from a government promotion exercise.
Speaking at the Kenya Comprehensive School Heads Association National Annual General Meeting in Mombasa on Thursday, November 12, 2026, Ruto said 50,000 teachers would be promoted during the current financial year.
“This financial year, 50,000 teachers will be promoted, the largest promotion exercise in a single year,” he announced.
He described the exercise as the largest teacher promotion in a single year, saying the government was taking deliberate steps to improve the teaching profession.
Ruto Expands Nationwide Teacher Recruitment
Ruto said Kenya faced a shortage of 116,000 teachers in 2022, prompting the government to accelerate recruitment beyond the previous pace of about 5,000 teachers annually.
“In four years, we have recruited 100,000 teachers, and another 20,000 will join in December this year,” he said.
He described the recruitment drive as “the largest expansion of the teaching workforce in our nation’s history.”
The President added that increasing teacher numbers was not enough, noting that the government was also focusing on teachers’ welfare, learning facilities and education funding.
“But numbers alone do not make a profession,” Ruto said, highlighting the planned promotions as part of efforts to recognise and support teachers.
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