Intern Teachers Set for Major Pay Rise as TSC Moves to Confirm Them on Permanent and Pensionable Terms
Monthly pay could rise from Ksh 17,000 to about Ksh 42,000 for diploma teachers and Ksh 55,000 for graduate teachers when junior school interns join the permanent payroll in January 2027. These are gross figures, before tax and other deductions.
For nearly two years, junior school intern teachers have stood in classrooms across Kenya on a monthly stipend that barely covers rent and transport. That is about to change. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has begun confirming them on permanent and pensionable (P&P) terms. Many have already received SMS invitations for interviews and document verification, due to start next week.
For a teacher who now takes home Ksh 17,000, the new terms could more than double monthly earnings from January 2027.
From stipend to salary
Under the internship programme, a teacher earns a Ksh 20,000 monthly stipend. After the Housing Levy, NSSF and SHIF deductions, that falls to about Ksh 17,000 net.
Once confirmed, teachers move onto the TSC pay structure, with placement depending on qualification:
- Diploma teachers are placed at Job Group C1 (T-Scale 6). After three years, they move automatically to C2.
- Graduate teachers are placed at Job Group C2 (T-Scale 7). After three years, they move automatically to C3 (T-Scale 8).
The rates below took effect on 1 July 2026. Newly confirmed teachers start at the entry level of their grade, so the table shows the starting basic salary.
| Grade | Basic salary | Commuter allowance | House allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 (T-Scale 6) | Ksh 32,561 | Ksh 4,000 | Ksh 10,000 (Nairobi), Ksh 7,500 (Cluster 2), Ksh 5,800 (all other areas) |
| C2 (T-Scale 7) | Ksh 40,954 | Ksh 5,000 | Ksh 16,500 (Nairobi), Ksh 12,800 (Cluster 2), Ksh 9,600 (all other areas) |
| C3 (T-Scale 8) | Ksh 49,239 | Ksh 6,000 | Ksh 28,000 (Nairobi), Ksh 22,000 (Cluster 2), Ksh 16,500 (all other areas) |
Cluster 2 covers Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Malindi, Kakamega and Kitale. “All other areas” covers minor municipalities and the rest of the country, where most junior schools are located.
What a teacher will actually earn
| Grade | Nairobi | Cluster 2 towns | All other areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 (diploma teacher) | Ksh 46,561 | Ksh 44,061 | Ksh 42,361 |
| C2 (graduate teacher) | Ksh 62,454 | Ksh 58,754 | Ksh 55,554 |
| C3 (after three years as a graduate) | Ksh 83,239 | Ksh 77,239 | Ksh 71,739 |
All figures are gross, before tax and other statutory deductions.
For most intern teachers, who work outside Nairobi and the Cluster 2 towns, the correct starting figures are therefore:
- Diploma teacher at C1: Ksh 32,561 basic salary, plus Ksh 4,000 commuter allowance and Ksh 5,800 house allowance, giving Ksh 42,361.
- Graduate teacher at C2: Ksh 40,954 basic salary, plus Ksh 5,000 commuter allowance and Ksh 9,600 house allowance, giving Ksh 55,554.
Gross is not take-home
Two points matter when comparing these figures with the stipend.
First, the Ksh 17,000 interns receive now is a net figure, after deductions. The totals above are gross, so they do not account for PAYE tax, the Housing Levy, NSSF, Union Dues and SHIF.
Take-home pay will be lower than the gross package. It should still be far higher than what interns receive today, but the exact net amount depends on each teacher’s deductions.
Second, the structure carries further allowances that are not in the totals above:
- Hardship allowance: Ksh 8,200 at C1 and Ksh 10,900 at C2, for teachers posted to designated hardship areas.
- Annual leave allowance: Ksh 4,000 at C1 and Ksh 6,000 at C2, payable once a year.
A teacher posted to a hardship area could therefore earn well above the figures in the table.
The career ladder ahead
Beyond the first pay packet, progression is automatic. A diploma teacher moves from C1 to C2 after three years.
A graduate moves from C2 to C3 after three years. At C3, basic salary starts at Ksh 49,239. With the Ksh 6,000 commuter allowance and the Ksh 16,500 house allowance for all other areas, a graduate teacher’s gross monthly pay reaches Ksh 71,739.
A diploma teacher who reaches C2 after three years moves into the Ksh 55,554 bracket in the same areas.
Permanent and pensionable terms also bring a pension and job security, which makes the change more than a pay adjustment. An intern’s contract ends after two years. A confirmed teacher builds a career.
The timeline
As reported in our earlier coverage, applications opened on 18 August 2026 and closed on 31 August 2026. TSC has since published a roadmap for the rest of the process:
- Sub-county selection: document vetting, completion of employment forms and issuing of offer letters. The exercise is expected to take ten days, with TSC boards monitoring it.
- County-level complaints: five days, from Monday 7 December to Friday 11 December 2026.
- Headquarters processing: merit lists and recruitment documents are forwarded to TSC headquarters between 14 and 22 December 2026.
- Posting: successful teachers report to their schools on Monday 4 January 2027 under the new terms.
The interns hired on 1 January 2025 complete their mandatory two-year internship on 31 December 2026, so the new terms follow directly from it.
Why interns have the advantage
Although the window was open to all unemployed teachers, the exercise is largely a confirmation process for the interns. The scoring guide, which carries 100 marks, shows why.
Experience accounts for up to 70 marks. An applicant who has served as an intern with the Commission continuously in the sub-county for 12 months or more gets the full 70, and one with less than 12 months gets 50. The remaining marks are spread across:
- Academic and professional qualifications: up to three marks.
- Age: up to seven marks.
- Length of stay since qualifying as a teacher: up to 20 marks.
Because experience carries so much weight, an intern with a full year or more in the sub-county starts with a large lead. The smaller scores mostly decide the rankings among candidates with similar service.
Ties are broken by length of stay since graduation, then the quality of academic certificates, then the quality of professional certificates.
The guidelines also give preference to applicants from the respective sub-county first, then from the county, and to those not previously employed by the Commission on P&P terms.
At least 5 percent of slots are reserved for teachers with disabilities, who are scored on a parallel guide.
Phase 1: Essential documentation for verification
The SMS invitations carry the venue, date and time of the interview. Candidates must appear in person. The vetting is split into two phases.
In the first, applicants must prove their eligibility, academic background and professional standing. They should carry the following:
- Identification: the original National Identity Card and a clear copy.
- Registration: a valid TSC Registration Certificate, or definitive, verifiable evidence of active registration. Panels must confirm that each applicant is registered under Section 23(1) of the TSC Act, 2012, and applicants who are not legally registered teachers are not eligible.
- Academic records: original KCSE and KCPE certificates, including documentation for any official re-sits or additional attempts.
- Professional records: university degree or diploma certificates, with official, certified university transcripts.
- Leaving certificates: primary and secondary school leaving certificates.
- Evidence of identity: a sworn affidavit to address discrepancies, spelling variances or name changes across documents.
- Disability status: a copy of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) card, where applicable.
- Internship history: clear, verifiable evidence of continuous and satisfactory service within the national internship programme.
- Graduation verification: a copy of the official university graduation booklet, to confirm graduation status, course details and graduation year.
- KNEC certification: where original certificates have been lost, a formal letter of certification from the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is strictly mandatory.
Sub-County Directors will certify photocopies as true copies of the originals before the interview, so candidates should bring both sets.
Phase 2: Post-verification documentation
Once initial administrative verification is complete, teachers will be invited to submit a second set of documents to complete their permanent Human Resource profiles:
- Medical fitness: a duly completed GP69 medical examination form.
- Tax compliance: a valid Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) PIN Certificate.
- Healthcare coverage: proof of active registration with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
- Professional presentation: two recent colour passport-size photographs.
- Financial details: a bank plate or official pay-point details, so that monthly pay can be processed accurately.
- Social security: verifiable evidence of National Social Security Fund (NSSF) registration.
Application for Employment forms are issued only to successful applicants on the merit list, after county-level verification.
Offer letters follow once the County Director confirms that all selected applicants meet the conditions.
A firm line on forgery
TSC has been blunt about integrity. Any applicant who presents forged or fake academic, professional or other documents commits an offence and will be disqualified or deregistered.
Any application or offer of employment based on misleading information will be revoked immediately, without further reference to the candidate.
For a teacher on the verge of a permanent job, a single doubtful document is not worth the risk.
If you are unhappy with the outcome
The guidelines set out a three-step grievance process with fixed deadlines:
- A dissatisfied applicant must submit a written complaint to the County Director and email TSC headquarters at dirstaffing@tsc.go.ke within seven days of the selection process.
- The County Director has seven days to analyse and address complaints, and must tell headquarters what action was taken.
- An applicant who is still dissatisfied can appeal in writing to the Director of Staffing at headquarters within seven days of the County Director’s decision. An Appeals Committee then investigates and acts within 14 days.
These steps feed into the five-day county-level complaints window from 7 to 11 December, so candidates should keep copies of everything they submit.
What interns should do this week
With interviews due next week, preparation matters more than anything else. Experienced candidates and colleagues are likely to share the following practical advice:
Check your TSC registration. Confirm that it is current before anything else.
Collect official documents. Get official transcripts rather than provisional ones, and gather certificates for every examination attempt, including re-sits.
Sort out name discrepancies early. If your names differ across documents, swear the affidavit now, since this is the document most likely to cause delays.
Replace lost certificates. Apply to KNEC for a certification letter immediately if any original is missing.
Keep your internship agreement letter within reach. The 70 experience marks depend on proving continuous service in the sub-county.
Make certified copies. Have photocopies ready for certification at the interview.
Start on Phase 2 now. Book the GP69 medical examination, confirm your KRA PIN, SHA and NSSF registration, and have photographs and bank details ready, so that you can respond quickly when the second invitation comes.
Watch your phone. The SMS carries the venue, date and time, and missing it could mean missing a place on the merit list.
Looking ahead
For the thousands of interns who have worked in classrooms since January 2025, the next few weeks will decide the next stage of their careers.
If TSC’s roadmap holds, the process will close the year with offer letters in hand. The new teachers will walk into their schools on 4 January 2027 as permanent and pensionable employees, on pay that finally matches the work they have already been doing.
