TSC seeks 30.4 billion shilings to permanently hire intern teachers

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is seeking an extra Ksh30.4 billion to formalize the employment of 46,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.

In a submission to the National Assembly’s Education Committee, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia stated that Ksh13.8 billion of the requested funds would be allocated to confirming the interns as permanent employees starting January 2025.

The government is grappling with a funding shortfall of Sh30.4 billion for teachers' salaries, even as it moves to confirm thousands of Junior Secondary School (JSS) educators to permanent and pensionable terms.

This comes after Education CS Migos Ogamba assured that all 46,000 JSS teachers would secure permanent contracts starting January, fulfilling a pledge made to the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).

Currently, the teaching workforce includes 21,550 JSS teachers, 4,000 primary school tutors hired in early 2023, 18,000 JSS intern teachers, and 2,000 primary school interns brought in last September.

The internship program was initially introduced to address the acute teacher shortage, particularly in junior secondary schools.

The government also plans to recruit an additional 20,000 teachers to strengthen staffing in Junior Secondary Schools.

“We are committed to ensuring our students receive quality education by having adequate teachers in place,” CS Ogamba said.