TSC JSS Teacher Jobs 2026: KCSE Grades, Degrees and Subjects Required

Teachers seeking to teach in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) must meet specific academic and professional requirements set by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), as the commission advertises 20,000 teaching positions to address staffing…

JSS Graduate Teachers

Applicants for graduate teacher positions must have a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+ and at least C+ in each of the two teaching subjects.

Applicants who followed the A-Level system can qualify with two Principal passes and one Subsidiary pass.

They must also hold one of the following qualifications:

A Bachelor of Education degree with two teaching subjects.
A Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree together with a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and two teaching subjects.
A Bachelor of Science with Education or Bachelor of Arts with Education with two teaching subjects.
A Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education and Extension with two teaching subjects.

Diploma holders who later undertook a Bachelor of Education degree can also qualify if they had a KCSE mean grade of C (Plain) and at least C+ in the two teaching subjects before undertaking the degree.

Those who followed the A-Level system can also qualify if they held a Diploma in Education and had at least one Principal and two Subsidiary passes for Sciences, or two Principals and one Subsidiary for Arts, before pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree.

Bridging or pre-university certificates are also recognized where the applicant completed the programme before December 31, 2015.

Diploma Teacher Requirements

Applicants for diploma teacher positions must generally have a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+ and at least C+ in two teaching subjects.

Applicants with KCE qualifications can qualify with Division III, a Credit score in the two teaching subjects, and one Principal and two Subsidiaries at A-Level.

They must also hold a Diploma in Education from a recognized teacher training institution and have attained at least C+ in the two teaching subjects.

Additional subject requirements apply.

Applicants must have at least C- in English at KCSE.

For science-based courses, applicants must have at least C in Mathematics, while those applying for non-science-based courses must have at least D+ in Mathematics.

There are exceptions for some groups.

Applicants who graduated in 2008 or earlier with a mean grade of C (Plain) and C (Plain) in the two teaching subjects are eligible.

Hearing and visually impaired applicants who enrolled for training with a mean grade of C (Plain) and C (Plain) in the two teaching subjects are also eligible.

For such applicants, the minimum Mathematics requirement is C- for science-based courses and D (Plain) for non-science-based courses.

Technical Teacher Qualifications

Technical teacher applicants must have a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+, with at least C+ in the two teaching subjects, or the specified A-Level equivalent of one Principal and two Subsidiaries.

They must also possess one of the following:

Bachelor of Education Technology (B.Ed Tech).
Bachelor of Science in a relevant technical subject or course.
Higher Diploma in a technical course.
Diploma in a technical course.

Applicants must also have at least C (Plain) in Mathematics and English at KCSE.

Those applying with a Bachelor of Science, Higher Diploma or Diploma in a technical course must additionally have a Diploma in Technical Teacher Education from the Kenya School of TVET, formerly Kenya Technical Training College.

Technical Subjects Covered

The requirements also set minimum subject qualifications for various technical areas under competency-based education.

For Aviation, applicants can qualify with C+ in Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, Geography or Computer Studies.

For Building Construction, the relevant subjects include Mathematics, Physics, English or Kiswahili, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and specified technical subjects such as Building Construction, Drawing and Design, Wood Technology and Metal Technology.

Electricity requires Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, English and specified technical subjects while Power Mechanics subjects include Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, Geography and Computer Studies.

For Metal Work, the relevant subjects include Mathematics, Physics or Physical Sciences, Metal Technology or related technical subjects, and English or Kiswahili.

For Wood Work, the relevant subjects are Mathematics, Physics and English or Kiswahili.

Media Technology subjects include English or Kiswahili, Mathematics, Physics, Physical Sciences or Chemistry.

For Marine and Fisheries, the relevant subjects include Biology or Biological Sciences, Chemistry or Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Geography or Agriculture.

A minimum grade of C+ in any one of the alternative subjects listed for the respective CBE technical subject is sufficient.

Degrees That Do Not Qualify

TSC has also specified qualifications that do not qualify applicants where the subjects studied are not part of the current secondary school curriculum.

The list includes, among others:

Natural Resources
Horticulture
Fisheries
Meteorology
Farm Machinery
Anthropology
Forestry
Sociology
Biotechnology
Animal Husbandry
Journalism
Theology or Divinity
Biochemistry

Applicants cannot become eligible for teaching positions simply by obtaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) or undertaking additional enhancement where their original training is in subjects that are not currently incorporated into the secondary school curriculum.

Degrees with Specific Teaching Options

Applicants with Economics, Commerce or Accounting qualifications can apply to teach Business Studies.

Those trained in Social Education and Ethics (SEE) can apply to teach CRE or IRE.

Applicants with Drawing and Design or Art and Design can apply for Fine Art.

Those trained in subjects listed under the specified alternative categories must have obtained at least C+ in KCSE in one of the corresponding subjects.

For applicants trained in Physical Education, Sports and Recreation, Biology is listed as the required alternative subject.

Those trained in Theatre and Film must have at least C+ in any language.

Teaching Subjects and Course Units

TSC requires applicants to have studied their two designated teaching subjects at KCSE, except in certain subjects.

The exception applies to Agriculture, Business Studies, Home Science and Computer Studies.

Applicants who did not study Business Studies or Computer Studies at KCSE must have scored at least C+ in Mathematics.

Those who did not study Agriculture or Home Science must have attained at least C+ in Biology.

Graduate teachers must also have completed at least eight course units in each of their two teaching subjects.

They must have studied teaching methods in both subjects and completed at least three months of teaching practice.

Enhancement of teaching units is only considered where an applicant did not meet the minimum number of required units during their degree or diploma programme.

Applicants who studied a third teaching subject must show that they completed all the units offered in that subject over the required four-year period, including teaching methods and teaching practice.

They must also provide evidence showing that they achieved the required credit hours.