The County Government of Kericho has advertised 210 vacancies for ECDE teachers, opening a major employment opportunity for qualified education professionals, while seeking to strengthen staffing levels in early learning centres across the County.
The positions, which constitute the single largest category in the 468 vacancies advertised by the County Public Service Board, are expected to provide employment opportunities to qualified ECDE teachers, while helping the County respond to staffing pressures arising from growing enrolment and expansion of early childhood education infrastructure.
The recruitment comes against the backdrop of a teacher pupil ratio of one teacher for every 38 learners, compared with the recommended ratio of one teacher for every 25 learners, according to the County’s approved Integrated Development Plan.
The County’s ECDE enrolment increased from 36,781 learners in 2017 to 43,368 in 2022, following the construction and operationalization of additional modern ECDE classrooms.
The figures point to the need for additional teachers, to ensure that children receive adequate attention during the formative years of learning, while giving qualified young professionals an opportunity to secure employment and contribute to the delivery of quality education at the grassroots.
The County’s development plan, identified the recruitment of ECDE teachers as a priority. The approved Annual Development Plan for the 2025/2026 Financial Year provided for the employment of 210 ECDE teachers and replacement of 67 teachers, with the programme intended to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. The Plan allocated Sh211.2 million to the programme, which also included the employment of 67 vocational training instructors.
The latest advertisement, therefore, represents a significant step in translating the county’s staffing plans into actual employment opportunities, with the 210 ECDE positions accounting for nearly 45 per cent of all the 468 vacancies announced by the County Public Service Board.
The recruitment also comes as the County continues to invest in ECDE infrastructure and learning resources. The County’s 2026/2027 Draft Annual Development Plan, targets the equipping of 900 ECDE centres with chairs, tables and textbooks at a projected cost of Sh20 million, while also targeting capacity building for 1,422 ECDE teachers. The investments point to a broader effort to improve both the learning environment and the quality of teaching in early childhood education.
Kericho has also been expanding the use of technology in ECDE, with the County reporting that 24,247 learners in 425 ECDE schools were targeted for support through a digital learning programme involving tablets, interactive learning materials and structured lesson plans.
The initiative has also been accompanied by teacher training, aimed at enabling educators to integrate digital tools into classroom instruction.
The County government reported in June 2026 that more than 1,000 ECDE teachers were being targeted for ICT and e-learning training, while 21,000 learners had already been onboarded into the digital learning programme, with another 15,000 expected to join in the following Financial Year.
The development underscores the growing demand for a well-trained and adequately staffed ECDE workforce, capable of supporting modern teaching and learning approaches.
The 210 vacancies are part of a wider recruitment exercise that has also created opportunities in other sectors, including 140 positions for Security Warden II, 51 Youth Polytechnic Instructor II positions, 13 Administration Officer II or Village Administrator II positions and 13 Administration Officer III or Village Administrator III positions, among others.
The recruitment of 51 Youth Polytechnic instructors, is particularly significant in expanding opportunities for skilled professionals, while strengthening vocational training, which plays an important role in equipping young people with practical skills for employment and self-reliance.
Applicants for the advertised positions are required to apply online through the County Public Service Board recruitment platform and submit their identification documents, curriculum vitae, academic and professional certificates and other relevant testimonials. The board has stated that the recruitment will be conducted through a fair, transparent and merit-based process, with women, youth, persons with disabilities, marginalized and minority groups encouraged to apply.
The recruitment drive places education at the centre of Kericho’s employment and service delivery agenda, with the 210 ECDE positions offering a dual benefit of opening doors for qualified job seekers, while expanding the County’s capacity to provide quality foundational education to thousands of young learners.
By Gilbert Mutai
