20,000 intern teachers set for confirmation in 2027

Out of 44,000 intern teachers in the country, 20,000 are set to be confirmed to Permanent and Pensionable terms in the 2026/2027 financial year, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has told Parliament.

The Commission disclosed the plans while appearing before the Departmental Committee on Education, which is scrutinising the FY 2026/27 Annual Estimates of Expenditure.

TSC officials, led by Acting Chief Executive Officer Eveleen Mitei, faced questions from MPs chaired by Julius Melly on teacher promotions, confirmation of interns and broader welfare concerns in the teaching service.

According to the Commission, the 20,000 interns earmarked for confirmation are expected to complete their two-year internship period by January 2027, after which they will transition to Permanent and Pensionable terms.

TSC further told the Committee that it could not proceed with recruitment of teachers on Permanent and Pensionable terms while intern teachers were still awaiting confirmation.

The Committee also raised concerns over the implementation of teacher programmes over the past years, including promotion processes, compensation of employees, and reports that some school principals were holding onto teachers’ certificates, an issue that legislators sought clarification on during the session.

In its response, TSC said funds for Work Injury Benefit Act (WIBA) compensation had been requested in the budget but were not funded, a gap it highlighted during the engagement with lawmakers.

On staffing, the Commission reported that more than 100,000 teachers have been recruited over the past three years following additional government support.

It further indicated that close to 30,000 teachers are targeted for promotion within the current year, subject to the number of officers exiting service.

Members of the Committee raised concerns over regional disparities in promotions and broader welfare issues affecting teachers across the country, urging the Commission to ensure fairness, transparency and timely implementation of human resource programmes in the sector.

In his closing remarks, the Chairperson of the Committee urged the Commission to expedite the promotion process, noting that KES 2 billion had been allocated for teacher promotions. He also directed the TSC to avail the Teachers’ Progression Guidelines for review to enable the Committee to assess and address outstanding concerns related to teacher development and staffing needs.