Left Behind or Forgotten? The 53-Year-Old Teacher Still Waiting for Employment
By Festus Ronoh
Desmond Langat, the Bomet County Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), has raised alarm over the growing number of unemployed teachers in the region, some of whom have waited for nearly two decades to be absorbed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
Speaking in Bomet, Langat highlighted the plight of Reuben Cheruiyot, a 53-year-old trained teacher from Chongenwo, Konoin Sub county who completed college years ago but has never been employed by the TSC.
“It’s heartbreaking. Reuben is about to retire without ever stepping into a classroom as a government-employed teacher,” Langat said. “Meanwhile, we have 23-year-olds being hired straight out of college.”
Langat revealed that in Bomet County alone, there are 20 trained teachers above the age of 50 still waiting for TSC employment. In Sotik, the situation is even worse, with 50 teachers who graduated in 2008 still jobless.
“That’s 17 years of waiting,” he lamented. “It’s why we are calling for the full independence of the TSC as outlined in the Constitution. Recruitment should be transparent and based on merit.”
The KNUT official also appealed to elected leaders to prioritize such cases when advocating for constituents.
“When leaders get favours, they should also fight for forgotten teachers like Reuben. This is an injustice that must be addressed,” he urged.
Langat further called on the government to increase capitation funds, noting that some schools in Bomet had received as little as KSh 2,000 to KSh 3,000.
“Schools are now in debt, and they’re expected to pay suppliers once funds arrive — it’s unsustainable,” he said.
The case of Reuben Cheruiyot now stands as a stark symbol of systemic neglect, with KNUT demanding urgent reforms to ensure no teacher is left behind.
