A total of 16,000 new intern teachers will be employed by January 2027, President William Ruto has said.
This he said will bring the number of all teachers he has employed since 2022 when he became President to 116,000.
However the employment will start in November for the 16,000 intern teachers who will be hired exclusively to support the implementation of the Competency Based Education (CBE) in junior schools.
The TSC budget allocation to recruit the teachers will happen in the July 2026 during the national budgeting.
Previously Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba said the employment will go a long way to address the staffing crisis in Grades 7, 8 and 9.
CS Ogamba was speaking during a Citizen TV’s ‘Elimu Mashinani’ segment held in Kilifi on September 23, 2025.
However the teachers will have to serve on internship for two years before they can be considered for conversion to permanent employment.
President previously said this is a new government policy binding all interns in government agencies and departments.
Last year TSC employed 20,000 JSS intern teachers. The teachers contracts have been renewed for one more year.
This year the Commission has employed 24,000 more teachers for junior schools for a one year internship basis.
The Teacher Internship Programme is a one year programme meant to equip and sustain competencies of persons entering the teaching service.
The programme targets unemployed registered teachers to be assigned to learning institutions where their teaching experience will be enhanced through mentorship, coaching and exposure to practical teaching experience.
The internship period is usually twelve months though often the teachers contracts are renewed to serve for two years.
Teacher internship is not a remunerative engagement. However, interns attached to Junior Secondary schools are eligible for a monthly stipend of Kshs. 20 ,000/=.
The stipend is be paid subject to statutory deductions like SHIF, Housing levy, and NSSF where applicable.
On successful completion of the Internship Programme, teacher interns will be awarded a certificate.
TSC awards 50 marks to teachers who served on internship terms during replacement and pnp recruitment thus making conversion to pnp for those who served on internship automatic.