As the Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers' strike entered the second week, on Tuesday, more than 200 interns from Narok county held a protest demanding permanent and pensionable contracts from their employer TSC.
The JSS interns carried out a peaceful demonstration at Emurua Dukirr Trading Centre in Transmara East subcounty.
They also demanded to be compensated for the period they have worked without payment as interns since starting working.
The protests were led by Kuppet officials.
The officials said that they will not accept what Parliamentary Education Committee chairman Julius Melly disclosed that only 26,000 JSS interns will be considered for the first phase of permanent jobs.
The union officials carrying placards and twigs stormed the local TSC Sub-County Directors' offices where they presented their petition on behalf of the teachers
"We want all the 46,000 JSS interns to be confirmed into permanent and pensionable terms, they should be compensated for the period they have worked,” said Charles Ngeno, Kuppet Executive Secretary, Narok branch.
He called on the president and the TSC commission to consider compensating the intern teachers to allow them to go back to class.
The unionist added that most of the JSS interns are depressed due to underpayment and they are joining the interns to fight for their rights.
“Sh17,000 paid to the teachers is not enough,” he said.
Ngeno vowed to continue with the protests, saying the demos may soon morph into a daily occurrence until their grievances are addressed.
“We will soon increase the number of days on the streets until TSC hears their demands because it seems the teachers’ employer will only listen when learning stops and that is the direction we are being forced to take," Ngeno said.
“The Parliament should use the budget-making process that is currently ongoing to appropriate funds for confirmation and compensation of teachers and we will not accept confirmation of only 26,000 but all the 46,000 should be confirmed once,” he said.
Another official, Siele Towett, lamented that if the government needs the CBC education system to work appropriately, then they have to respond to all the demands raised by the interns.
"Most of these CBC teachers are paid only Sh17,000 and are depressed due to underpayment. The government should confirm them for permanent jobs to ensure the CBC works appropriately," Towett said.
Trans Mara East Sub-County TSC Director Peter Mwangi, while receiving the petition, called upon the teachers to be patient as the government works on their request.
He said the government had heard their demands and would act at the appropriate time.
