• The government hired some 21,550 intern teachers in February 2023 on one-off 11-month contracts that expired on December 31, 2023.
• On December 17, Ruto assured the intern teachers of permanent and pensionable employment at the end of a two-year service under the current terms.
Image: SCREENGRAB
Junior Secondary School intern teachers in Nandi County have asked President William Ruto to walk the talk and lift them from the bottom of the economic pyramid of workers by increasing their salaries.
The teachers who held demonstrations in the streets of Nandi town lamented about the poor state of affairs in their homes saying what they are earning is not sufficient to support their needs.
They asked the President to listen to their plight and place them on permanent and pensionable terms of employment.
"Speaking of Bottom-Up, we also want to upgrade from intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms. We have suffered because of the economic conditions," one of the teachers said.
"That day when you wanted to be president, we supported you until you are now the President of the Republic of Kenya. We are begging you, why can't you confirm us as permanent teachers?" another teacher posed.
The government hired some 21,550 intern teachers in February 2023 on one-off 11-month contracts that expired on December 31, 2023.
The internship was non-remunerative but came with a Sh20,000 monthly stipend.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) issued interim orders in December binding the intern teachers to their previous contracts with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) pending issuance of further directions on the matter on March 7, 2024.
On December 17, Ruto assured the intern teachers of permanent and pensionable employment at the end of a two-year service under the current terms.
"The JSS intern teachers will be at work in January. We had promised that before being employed on permanent and pensionable terms in all the sectors, they must do an internship for two years," Ruto said during a media roundtable at State House, Nairobi.
But the intern teachers in Nandi said the stipend they were taking home was too little as what remains after statutory deductions is a mere Sh17,000.
"It's not enough to cater for the needs that we have. We have families to take care of and rent to pay, that amount is not enough," one of the teachers said.
On January 2, JSS Interim Secretary General Daniel Murithi issued a strike notice saying the 21,550 intern teachers would not report to their workstations beginning January 8 once schools reopen.
He said they would stay away from classrooms until their demands to be placed on permanent and pensionable terms were implemented.
"Subject to the provisions of Article 41 of the Constitution and Article 41 of the Employment Act, we hereby seek to notify the above party on the strike and downing of tools beginning January 8, 2024, until the government, through TSC, addresses the issue in contention as per our legal demands," the strike notice read.
In the case pending before the court, the Forum for Good Governance and Human Rights protested the deployment of duly trained, certified, qualified and registered teachers as interns.
The Forum argued that hiring teachers in such a manner contravenes the Constitution and fails to place learners on the required standard of learning.
Murithi said intern teachers would resist attempts by the TSC to have them renew the one-off contracts.
The first batch of Junior Secondary School students under the Competency-Based Curriculum will report back to school at the same time as students who will be joining Form 1 this year.