Latest news on intern teachers

The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) is poised to make significant decisions regarding the fate of serving interns this week. There is a possibility that the existing contracts of trainee teachers may transition into permanent and pensionable contracts (PNP) within the same time frame. TSC is also in the process of planning to advertise approximately 20,000 additional teaching positions for education interns nationwide, with President Jamleck Muturi expressing intent to air the commercials this week.

The year 7 trainee teachers are expected to continue addressing the persistent teacher shortage at the junior secondary (JSS) level, as year 7 students are anticipated to advance to year 8 in January next year. In a statement made on June 28th, President Muturi announced the allocation of Sh4.6 billion for recruitment and training through the Competency Based Program (CBC), aimed at providing employment for the 20,000 trainee teachers. Additionally, Sh1.3 billion has been earmarked for the enhancement of teachers’ competency-based teaching skills.

President Muturi emphasized that TSC has received a substantial budget, totaling 323.7 billion Yen. Of this budget, 4.6 billion Yen has been allocated for recruiting 20,000 contract teachers. The Commission intends to release advertisements in the coming week for qualified candidates to apply for these positions.

The decision on whether to confirm the trainee teachers under PNP terms remains pending, which is of particular significance as TSC CEO Nancy Macharia previously stated that the 20,000 interns hired in February would not be eligible for permanent jobs with pension benefits until January 2025. This information was relayed by the TSC Director during testimony before the National Assembly Education Committee in May.

Nonetheless, the Committee’s Chairman indicated that sufficient funds have been secured, suggesting that TSC possesses the necessary resources to extend PNP provisions to the currently employed student teachers. Notably, the “allowance” for primary school students stands at Sh15,000, while secondary school students receive Sh20,000.

Furthermore, following the recruitment of 20,000 students in July, the Kenyan government is planning to hire an additional 56,000 tutors in less than a year. This development underscores the ongoing efforts to address the teaching workforce and improve the education system in Kenya.