The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has hatched a plan to start recruitment of grade 8 teachers as well as renew contract for the serving intern teachers.
The Commission plans to recruit at least 18,000 intern teachers for junior secondary school (JSS) and post them before schools reopen in January.
The recruitment and contract renewal for the interns is planned to start immediately the last KCSE exam paper is done.
The serving intern teachers who were recruited in January will be required to renew their accident cover (insurance) for a period of twelve months.
The renewal of internship contract will be done automatically for those who want to continue working as interns.
TSC sealed the fate of the intern teachers when it said they will be confirmed on permanent terms in 2025.
The announcement did not augur well with the teachers who have since opposed the rule by TSC requiring them to serve for two years before being converted to permanent and pensionable terms.
Many intern teachers were shocked after TSC said it will confirm them on permanent terms in 2025.
Previously TSC recruited intern teachers and absorbed them to pnp payroll after serving for a year.
However the paradigm shift can be attributed to the huge number of intern teachers the Commission recruited as well as the country struggling economy.
Appearing before the Education Committee in Parliament, TSC Director of staffing Antonina Lentoijoni alongside TSC Director for legal affairs, Calvin Anyuor, said all 46,000 teachers employed on internship terms will be converted to pnp automatically after serving for two years.
The Commission also says no teacher will be employed on permanent terms first before going through the two year internship process.
TSC says it has 46,000 teachers on its payroll drawn from primary and secondary school including junior secondary, serving on internship terms.
Previously TSC defended itself saying its policy allows for teacher internship service to a maximum of two years.
However many intern teachers say this will be demoralizing especially because of poor pay which does not commensurate with the current cost of living.
The Commission recruited 20,000 intern teachers in February. In August another 20,000 interns were employed.
In January 2022, TSC posted a total of 1,995 intern teachers to schools. TSC also renewed internship contract for 4,005 teachers whose one year term ended in December 2021. This brought the total number of intern teachers to 46,000.
TSC plans to recruit another 20,000 intern teachers to help with Grade 8 class which starts in January next year.
Interns attached to primary schools get a monthly stipend of Kshs. 15,000/= while those in secondary schools get Kshs. 20,000/=.
However those in secondary school lose around sh. 3,0000 to deductions while those in primary lose around sh. 2,000.