The junior school intern teachers through the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have officially notified parties of nationwide strike as they seek to push their employer to confirm them on permanent and pensionable terms.
The teachers have notified the police of peaceful demos amid a raft of demands. The protests will start on 27th April, same day when schools are reopening.
The teachers have listed confirmation of intern teachers, challenges with Social Health Authority (SHA) insurance scheme, junior school autonomy and delayed Knec payments to invigilators as key drivers of the protests.
“We, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Kilifi Branch, hereby notify your office of our intention to hold a peaceful demonstration on Monday 27th April, 2026 within Kilifi County,” read a notice by Kuppet Kilifi Branch.
Other counties which have issued strike notice include Kakamega, Busia, Kajiado, and Thaka Nithi.
TSC currently has a total of 44,000 junior school teachers serving on internship terms.
The teachers got a boost after a Court of Appeal declared the TSC internship programme null and void.
TSC employed 20,000 intern teachers in January 2025. The teachers who were initially employed on a one year internship contract had their contracts extended for another one year running from 1st January to 31st December 2026.
The Commission then employed additional 24,000 junior school intern teachers and posted them to schools this January to start their one year internship contract.
Appearing before the Senate on 11th March, Education Cabinet Secretary said the government is studying the court ruling to determine its legal and financial implications.
“It is true the Court of Appeal has determined that the policy of internship is null and void,” said Ogamba.
“TSC and the Ministry are studying the ruling and are in the process of coming up with steps that are going to be undertaken to ensure that we abide by that court ruling,” he added.
The court had declared the TSC internship programme illegal, saying that can only be done to trainee teachers.
It argued that the teachers termed as ‘intern’ are fully trained and registered teachers and can only be employed as such.
TSC is currently seeking funding to confirm only 20,000 junior school intern teachers come January 2027.
Kuppet is also demanding payment of Knec exam invigilators. Kuppet national chairman, Omboko Milemba, issued firm warning over the delayed payments.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament Milemba demanded to know when the pending payments dating back to October will be settled.
He further pressed the Ministry to outline concrete measures that will guarantee timely and full payment of teachers in future examinations cycle.
