TSC suspend recruitment of JSS intern teachers
TSC plan to recruit 16,000 teachers to Junior School on internship this year has been put to a stop following a discussion with the ministry of Education.
This comes even as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) had planned to recruit 16,000 teachers on internship this year after the National Treasury has read the national budget in July.
This recruitment exercise was scheduled to take place in October this year with those who would have secured jobs report to their station in January 2027.
The commission and Ministry of Education are at the crossroads following the decision and determination made by the Appellate court that declared TSC internship illegal. This has even complicated the fate of the 44,000 Junior School interns across the country since the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has no finances to convert them to permanent and pensionable.
Out of the 44,000 interns, 20,000 were employed in January 2025 where their contract ended December 2025. This lot was asked to renew their contract for another one year since the commission did not have enough funds to convert them to PnP. This contract will expire in December 2026.
Additionally, the commission this year engaged another batch of 24,000 in January, who contract is set to elapse December this year.
While Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba was responding to legislators said that the court decision to declare TSC internship illegal has complicated issues not only to those who were to be recruited but also those currently serving in various schools across the country.
Ogamba further noted that the ministry of education and TSC were going through the court decision to ascertain the legal and financial implications it has to the country.
“It is true the Court of Appeal has determined that the policy of internship is null and void,” said Ogamba.
“TSC and the Ministry are studying the ruling and are in the process of coming up with steps that are going to be undertaken to ensure that we abide by that court ruling,” he added.
The Cabinet Secretary said the ministry of education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are in talks to determine the fate of internship programme.
The Appellate court in its rulling stated that this programme is illegal and should not engage qualified and registered teachers as this is meant for teacher trainees.
Previously in 2023 when the commission engaged teachers in this programme, teachers also moved to court to challenge its legality where in 2024 the court declared the programme illegal and asked the commission to compensate teachers for the period they worked.
Teachers pushed for this compensation but the commission did not bow to their pressure and till date, none has ever been compensated even as the commission disregarded the court ruling and continued to engage teachers on contract.
This programme was introduced to plug the shortage of teachers that was projected in schools as a result of the Competency Based Education (CBE) rollout in Kenya. Therefore, the court decision to declare this programme illegal has now paralysed the programme where now the commission is at the crossroad on what they should do next. Ogamba said this rulling comes with financial implications.
“It may bring some financial and budgetary implications on obeying it and once we determine the extent of the legal and financial implementation we will then move as required to ensure we obey that court ruling,” he noted.
Enock Wambua, the senator of Kitui said the programme is discriminatory.
“The ruling by the court on absorption of teachers as interns, they have TSC numbers and are absorbed as interns, those still learning. It is illegal and discriminatory,” said Wambua.
Despite professional standings of these teachers who are qualified, registered and licenced to teach, the commission and the government of has continued with its blatant disregard of the court rulings and continues to engage professionals in contracts that are attracting lower pays.
An intern teachers in junior school earns a monthly stipend of Ksh 20,000 but walks home with Ksh 18,000 after statutory deductions like SHA, Housing levy and NSSF.
TSC suspend recruitment of JSS intern teachers
The Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba stated that teachers posted to teach junior school are treated as any secondary school teacher with proper career progression guidelines.
“All teachers in JSS hold training skills, competencies and qualifications for secondary school curriculum delivery,” he added.
Ogamba further stated that when these teachers are issued with appointment letters, they are designated as Secondary Teacher II as required by the 2018 career progression guidelines.
Senators were not satisfies with the explanation and And Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei demanded for funding specifics.
“What are the financial implications and budgetary allocations? You cannot tell us you want to comply with a court ruling without telling us whether in the supplementary budget you have requested funds to cater for this internship and how the transition will happen from intern to permanent and pensionable,” Cherargei charged.
Cherargei further noted that there were discrepancies among serving interns as some have served for long while other for shorter periods. He said that those who have served for two years will have been discriminated if all interns will be converted to permanent and pensionable.
