Last reviewed: 25 October 2026
For most private schools in Kenya, teachers are the single biggest cost and the single biggest reason parents stay or leave. A school with good classrooms but a revolving door of staff loses learners fast. This guide walks school owners and head teachers through a practical hiring process that works for small and growing CBC schools.
On this page
1. Write down exactly what the role needs
Before you advertise, decide the level (pre-primary, primary, junior school or senior school), the learning areas the teacher will cover, and the number of lessons per week. A junior school teacher who can handle both Integrated Science and Mathematics is worth more to a small school than a single-subject specialist. Write the salary range, working hours, start date and any boarding or co-curricular duties into the advert so you only attract people who can accept the terms.
2. Advertise where trained teachers actually look
Good places to advertise include teacher training colleges and university education departments near you, local teacher WhatsApp networks run by your own staff, and job boards. You can post free on our teacher jobs board, which is read by teachers looking for private school work. Ask your best current teachers for referrals too; they usually know reliable colleagues.
3. Check registration and documents
Under the Teachers Service Commission Act, 2012, a person must be registered by the TSC to teach in a public or private institution in Kenya. Ask every shortlisted candidate for their TSC number and confirm it, and see our guide to registering as a teacher with TSC if a fresh graduate has not yet registered. Also collect copies of academic and professional certificates, the national ID, KRA PIN and a certificate of good conduct, and call at least two referees. Because teachers work with children, never skip the good-conduct and referee checks.
4. Interview, then watch a real lesson
A short panel interview tells you about attitude and communication. A demonstration lesson tells you whether the person can teach. Give the candidate a real strand and sub-strand from the CBC curriculum design, 30 to 40 minutes with an actual class, and watch for:
- A clear learning outcome stated at the start
- Learners doing, not just listening (group work, practical activity, questions)
- Use of simple, locally available learning resources
- Some form of checking understanding before the lesson ends
Ask afterwards how they would assess that lesson. A teacher who understands school-based assessment and rubrics will answer confidently.
5. Make a fair written offer
Kenya’s Employment Act, 2007 requires written particulars of employment for staff employed for three months or more. Put the salary, allowances, hours, leave, probation period and notice period in writing. Remember statutory deductions and contributions such as NSSF, the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and the Affordable Housing Levy. Compare your pay with the market using our private school teacher salaries guide; paying far below the market is the most common reason teachers leave mid-year.
6. Onboard properly
The first two weeks decide whether a new teacher settles. Give them the school calendar, schemes of work, the assessment and report card format, the code of conduct, and a named mentor. Show them how marks are entered and how parents are contacted. Schools that keep this information in one system find onboarding much faster; Anademy’s staff, leave and appraisal tools are designed to hold staff records, contracts and appraisal notes in one place.
7. Keep records from day one
Keep a staff file for every teacher with the contract, certificates, TSC number, next of kin and leave record. Good records protect the school in any labour dispute and make inspections far less stressful.
A simple hiring checklist
- Role, level, learning areas and salary decided
- Advert posted with clear terms
- TSC number verified
- Certificates, ID, KRA PIN and good conduct collected
- Two referees called
- Demo lesson observed
- Written contract signed
- Mentor assigned and onboarding pack handed over
Hiring carefully takes a little longer, but replacing a teacher in the middle of a term costs far more in lost learning and unhappy parents. For more help running a school, see the school owners hub.