Since over 10,000 teachers will be leaving the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) payroll by the end of December after reaching the required retirement age, the TSC will be replacing them.
While many of the retiring instructors are classroom teachers, some are school administrators.
However, following teachers’ protests against a chaotic replacement process in the previous fiscal year, the Commission has decided how it will handle teacher replacements next year.
In September 2023, TSC was given a budget of Sh 2.5 billion by the Treasury to replace 6,000 teachers.
But instead of announcing the openings to the public, the Commission quietly gave the seats to MPs and politicians to occupy in their respective districts.
Some teachers parted with upto sh 400,000 to secure employment. The replacements lacked merit but cronyism and other forms of corruption persisted.
It is believed that this is Kenya Kwanza’s move to reward politicians who are helping in championing its agenda.
TSC went back to the dark old days where politicians interfered with functions of the Commission including teacher recruitment that saw massive corruption and discrimination.
Some of the teachers got employment on permanent and pensionable terms without first going through internship process.
The backdoor recruitment of teachers was led by Ezekiel Machogu who was then the Cabinet Secretary for Education.
Machogu was captured live issuing employment letters to teachers in a function in Kisii county.
The protests by Kenyan youth popularly known as Gen Z over bad governance led president to dismiss his cabinet including the former CS Ezekiel Machogu.
According a teachers must first be interned for at least a year before getting employment to permanent terms.
The Teacher Internship Programme is a one (1) year programme meant to equip and sustain competencies of persons entering the teaching service.
The programme targets unemployed registered teachers to be assigned to learning institutions where their teaching experience will be enhanced through mentorship, coaching and exposure to practical teaching experience.
The internship period will be for twelve months though majority of the current intern teachers have served for two years.
Teacher internship is not a remunerative engagement. However, interns attached to Junior Secondary schools will be eligible for a monthly stipend of Kshs. 20 ,000/=.
The stipend will be paid subject to statutory deductions like NHIF, Housing levy, and NSSF where applicable.
On successful completion of the Internship Programme, teacher interns will be awarded a certificate.
Currently TSC is recruiting a total of 20,000 teachers on internship terms for junior secondary schools. The teachers will be posted to schools in January.
A total of 46,000 teachers are currently serving on internship terms but will be confirmed to pnp terms in January 2025.