The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has issued fresh requirement on all intern teachers who have renewed contract this year.
The Commission has ordered headteachers of primary and secondary schools to report all intern teachers who have reported for duty by Friday 12th January 2024.
TSC has also asked the headteachers to submit online casualty returns for the intern teachers to allow immediate processing of their stipend.
The entry and exit report will also enable the Commission know which intern teachers have renewed contract for another year.
The school heads were asked to collect the internship contract letters for their teachers at the TSC sub-county offices.
Interns attached to primary schools get a monthly stipend of Kshs. 15,000/= while those in secondary schools include junior schools get Kshs. 20,000/=.
However those in secondary school lose around sh. 3,000 to deductions while those in primary lose around sh. 2,000.
Initially the Commission revealed that it has 46,000 intern teachers on its payroll.
The Commission recruited 20,000 intern teachers in February last year. 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 will next month February, start recruitment of at least 20,000 new intern teachers to bridge staffing gaps in junior school.
TSC has admitted that junior secondary schools are grappling with ssevere teacher shortages.
Chief Executive Nancy Macharia revealed that the schools require 99,045 teachers against the current number of 56,928.
In a new policy all intern teachers will now serve for a period of two years before being converted to permanent and pensionable terms.
A total of 21,500 junior school intern teachers who had threatened to down tools in January when schools reopen, abandoned the strike threat and resumed work.
The teachers will serve their second year as interns till January 2025 when they will be confirmed on permanent and pensionable terms.