JSS Intern Teachers Resume Work After Calling Off Nationwide Strike
JSS Intern Teachers Resume Work After Calling Off Nationwide Strike
JSS Intern Teachers Resume Work After Calling Off Nationwide Strike
Junior school intern teachers, who initially vowed to disrupt learning in January, have called off their nationwide strike, with many already reporting to their respective stations. This decision follows a court order by Justice Byram Ongaya that restrained the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) from terminating contracts for the 21,500 junior school intern teachers. The court ordered that the contracts, originally set to end on December 31, 2023, not be terminated until a case filed before him is heard and determined.
The intern teachers had demanded the conversion to permanent and pensionable terms after serving for a year, citing an alleged violation of the internship agreement by TSC. The Commission, however, asserted financial constraints, proposing an additional year of service before confirmation.
Despite TSC warning of consequences for those failing to report by a specified deadline, the teachers, supported by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), persisted in their protests during December. They cited inadequate stipends, reduced further by deductions, and challenging working conditions in remote schools.
While TSC maintains that a two-year internship is now a government policy, President William Ruto recently assured intern teachers of employment once they complete the extended contract. The intern teachers argue that the original agreement was for a one-year non-renewable contract before permanent positions.
Meanwhile, TSC acknowledges severe teacher shortages in junior secondary schools, with plans to recruit at least 20,000 new teachers to address the staffing gaps. Despite the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) pioneer class starting Grade 8, the recruitment is anticipated in the next financial year, causing concerns about immediate staffing challenges as schools reopen.
JSS Intern Teachers Resume Work After Calling Off Nationwide Strike
