If you are a new teacher, it is safe to know that in accordance with Article 237 of the Kenyan Constitution, it is illegal to teach in Kenya without registering as a teacher by getting a Teachers Service Commission TSC number so you can avoid breaking the law.
Not until you are certified and given a TSC number by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), which determines eligibility for certification and evaluates applications for certification for all teachers in Kenya, you are an unlicensed teacher and thus unapproved to teach in any classroom.
TSC is a government body that registers trained teachers and employs them to conduct teaching of students at public schools countrywide.
It also adopts rules and monitors compliance in the entire teaching profession in the country aside from developing policies and providing advocacy that responds to individual student goals and community needs.
What are the requirements to be registered as a teacher by TSC?
For new teachers to be registered and receive a TSC number for a teaching certificate granted by the Teachers Service Commission, there are necessary requirements they must meet to become certified to teach in Kenya.
However, because TSC recruits teachers for service in all public primary and secondary schools, these requirements are mostly based on their educational level.
Generally, to teach at secondary and high schools, one must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a major in two subjects they plan to teach.
On the other hand, new teachers must have completed teacher training and preparation programs at the diploma level to register and get a TSC number.
How do I get a TSC number as a new teacher in Kenya?
If you are sure you meet the eligibility requirements to get registered by the Teachers Service Commission and ultimately receive a TSC number, it is worth knowing how to do it:
N/B: Go first to the Teachers Service Commission County Director or Quality Assurance Officer to get your documents physical-checked for ratification before you begin this online registration process for TSC numbers in Kenya
What you’ll need;
* Scanned original educational and professional certificates
* Scanned National ID or passport
* Bank slip
* One passport-size photo
* KRA pin
* GP69 Medical Form
* Certificate of good conduct
* Entry and work permit for non-Kenyans.
* A ksh1,050 registration fee
Applying for a TSC number online
Step 1: Visit the TeachersOnline website at tsconline.tsc.go.ke
Step 2: Go to the New Registration For Kenyan Citizens and fill in the required details like name, ID number, and phone number. Here, TSC will also ask you some questions to determine the application pathway that best fits your credentials. Answer them and hit ‘Next’
Step 3: You will have opened Section B. Supply the information needed on this page whereby you will give, among them, your mailing address, e-mail address, and residency and confirm your Kenyan citizenship status
Step 4: Click Next, and from the menu, enter your education information
Step 5: Upload the certificates proving your educational qualification alongside any other qualifying professional documents
Step 6: Upload a scanned copy of your National ID and continue to the last step of the TSC self-registration for TSC numbers
Step 7: Move to answer a few moral character questions, then proceed to pay the Ksh1,050 application fee via online checkout using either Mpesa, Airtel Money, KCB Cash, Equity Cash, or E-Agent
Afterward, the Teachers Service Commission will go through your application, and if you meet the set qualifications, you will get a certificate of Registration bearing a TSC number within 30 days.
