Last reviewed: 24 October 2026
Thousands of trained teachers wait each year for the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to advertise posts. In 2026, TSC has run a large junior school exercise and announced another recruitment for November. This guide summarises what is confirmed, what is still only planned, and how to prepare so you do not miss a short application window.
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What happened earlier in 2026
In August 2026, TSC opened online applications for 20,000 junior school teacher posts on permanent and pensionable (P&P) terms. The portal opened on 18 August and closed at midnight on 31 August 2026, according to education media coverage of the advert. The posts were largely intended to confirm the junior school interns recruited in January 2025, who complete their two-year internship on 31 December 2026, though other qualified, registered and unemployed teachers were also invited to apply. TSC later released the county and sub-county distribution of the posts, and interviews and document verification were scheduled for November.
Reported requirements for that advert included Kenyan citizenship, at least a Diploma in Education, a KCSE mean grade of C+ with C+ in two teaching subjects, and valid TSC registration.
The November 2026 recruitment
TSC Chairperson Dr Jamleck Muturi said on 2 October 2026, at an event in Embu County, that the Commission expects to open another recruitment exercise in November. Media reports since then describe a recruitment and replacement exercise to fill posts left by teachers exiting the service, and plans for more intern posts. As of 24 October 2026, TSC’s recruitment portal did not list any teacher vacancy; the only current advert was for the Commission’s Secretary/CEO. Treat any poster quoting November deadlines or numbers per county as unofficial until TSC publishes it.
Where adverts appear
- tsc.go.ke, under Careers or current adverts;
- recruitment.tsc.go.ke; and
- teachersonline.tsc.go.ke, where applications are submitted.
TSC’s online system states that no payment of any kind is required, and that online applicants do not need to submit hard copies.
How to prepare now
- Confirm TSC registration. It is an offence to teach without registration under the TSC Act, and unregistered applicants cannot complete the application.
- Gather originals: national ID, KCSE certificate, college or university certificates and transcripts, TSC registration certificate, and school leaving certificates.
- Update your portal profile with a working phone number and email. Shortlisted candidates are contacted by SMS.
- Read the guidelines when the advert is published; they list vacancies by county and the scoring criteria.
- Apply once. Duplicate applications can disqualify you.
Interviews and selection
Shortlisted candidates attend county or sub-county interviews and must present original documents. Selection follows TSC’s published recruitment guidelines, which award marks for factors such as academic qualifications and, for some exercises, length of time since qualifying or completion of an internship.
Avoid scams
Every year people are asked to pay “facilitation fees” for TSC jobs. TSC recruitment is free. Report anyone demanding money to TSC or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
Other routes while you wait
Internships, county ECDE posts and private schools all offer experience. See how to apply for a TSC internship, private school teacher salaries, and current openings on our teacher jobs board.
Sources
- TSC recruitment portal (recruitment.tsc.go.ke), checked 24 October 2026; TSC online system (teachersonline.tsc.go.ke)
- Elimu News Arena, “TSC opens application portal…” (18 August 2026); CBC Teachers Online (31 August 2026); Arena.co.ke (20 October 2026)
- Education News Hub and Jobsiz on the November 2026 announcement
CBC Guides is independent and not part of TSC.