The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is contemplating firing junior school teachers who are participating in the strike instead of reporting to schools to attend learners.
In a memo dated 27th April, 2026 addressed to Regional Directors, the Commission Director of Staffing, Antonina Lentoijoni has directed all County Directors to track the presence and absence of Junior School teachers in schools.
She has tasked the school headteachers to keep daily attendance records of the intern teachers which should also be forwarded daily to TSC headquarters by the directors via email.
TSC says the data will help the commission on timely decision making on matters junior school internship administration and effective management of junior schools.
The junior school intern teachers together with the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) launch a nationwide protests on school reopening day to push their employer to confirm the intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Besides confirmation of intern teachers the teachers have also listed challenges with Social Health Authority (SHA) insurance scheme, junior school autonomy and delayed Knec payments to invigilators as reasons for their protests.
However despite Kuppet County branches issuing notice of strike, a spot check shows majority of junior school teachers reported to schools fearing for their jobs.
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.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has however not stated clearly the fate of the 24,000 junior school teachers who were recruited in January.
President William Ruto, CS Ogamba and TSC have all stated clearly that they will confirm the 20,000 junior school intern teachers after the July budget but have remained tight lipped on fate of the 24,000.
Government has also indicated plans to employ another 16,000 teachers this year for junior and senior schools on internship terms.
The court had declared the TSC internship programme illegal and discriminatory, saying that, 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.
Below is the memo by TSC that was sent to TSC Regional Directors.
TEACHERS SERVICE COMMISSION
INTERNAL MEMO
TO: ALL TSC REGIONAL DIRECTORS
REF: TSC/DS/JSS/188/VOL.II/94
DATE: 27TH APRIL, 2026
DAILY MONITORING AND REPORTING ON PRESENCE /ABSENCE OF SERVING JUNIOR SCHOOL INTERN TEACHERS
The above subject matter refers.
In order to facilitate timely decision making and effective management of Junior School Intern Teachers, you are required to coordinate the daily monitoring of attendance for all serving Junior School Interns within your respective regions effective 27th April, 2026 and moving forward until further notice.
Accordingly, you are required to liase with County Directors to ensure that attendance status is verified and consolidated on a daily basis for submission to Headquarters.
The reports should be prepared using the attached Excel template as follows:
a) Sheet One: Running list containing details of intern teachers who fail to report on duty on each specific day.
b) Sheet Two: Daily summary of present and absent intern teachers by County.
Kindly note the following:
a) The remarks column for every intern teacher reported absent, clearly indicating the reason for absence 9e.g. sick leave, maternity leave, official assignment, unauthorized absence, etc)
b) The running list should be updated daily to capture any changes in status.
c) Accuracy, completeness, and timelines of the reports are critical.
The consolidated regional report should be submitted daily to dirstaffing@tsc.go.ke and copied to peternjeru@tsc.go.ke not later than the close of business each day.
Attached find the reporting template.
ANTONINA LENTOIJONI
DIRECTOR – STAFFING
Copy to: Commission Secretary