- Thousands of intern teachers have threatened not to resume duty in January unless the government employs them on permanent and pensionable terms
- Last Sunday, President William Ruto assured Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) interns of employment once they serve for two years
- According to the interns, they are qualified and registered with TSC and do not understand why they are being treated as those still in college training, getting a stipend, not a salary
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“We are qualified and registered with TSC and do not understand why we are being treated as those still in college training, getting a stipend, not a salary”
In a mounting standoff, thousands of intern teachers, hired by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to alleviate the teacher shortage crisis, are adamant about not resuming duty in January.
The interns, deployed to Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), are demanding permanent and pensionable employment, as initially agreed, prompting fears of an impending educational crisis.
President William Ruto, in a statement last Sunday, assured the JSS interns of employment after two years of service. However, the interns, dissatisfied with the arrangement, argue that they are qualified and registered with the TSC, questioning the need for treating them as if they are still in college training.
Emboldened by a court order from Justice Byram Ongaya, preventing TSC from terminating their contracts during the ongoing dispute, the interns, under the banner JSS National Interim Leadership, are resolute in their decision not to return to schools when they reopen.
The court directive, issued on December 19, 2023, explicitly prohibits any alterations to the internship contracts until the legal proceedings are concluded.
The contracts, originally set to expire on December 31, 2023, include a clause preventing renewal, hindering attempts to extend internships beyond January.
Mr. Bornface Omari, speaking on behalf of the teachers, emphasized their commitment to the initial deal of a one-year non-renewable contract as interns before transitioning to permanent roles.
Accusing the government of attempting to coerce them into signing new contracts, the teachers have vowed to down tools from January, potentially plunging JSS into an educational crisis.
The situation remains tense as the JSS interns stand firm, challenging the government’s stance and raising concerns about the continuity of learning in January 2024.
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