No free pass for PSC interns

There have been calls for the Public Service Commission to absorb the interns under its Public Service Internship Programme into government agencies and departments they were deployed in.

The rationale is this will enable government to make use of the experience they have acquired at the end of their 12-month contracts. The contract of Cohort 1 of the interns expired last week.

As a beneficiary of the PSIP, this call is dishonest. The PSC, as an equal opportunity employer, has no obligation to retain a worker under contract by virtue of their age or status of unemployment. Same goes for the private sector, which values competency and productivity more.

PSC data shows close to 3,200 workers are set to exit the public service this year because of retirement and other reasons. Most government services are paralysed as the majority of employees are over 50 and most lack modern skills.

Youth unemployment is estimated to be as high as 35 per cent nationally, compared with the overall national unemployment rate of 10 per cent. There is no doubt, however, that public service needs new blood.

This can only happen when competent youths with skills matching the jobs advertised are employed to give public service a facelift. Kenyans have a right to get quality satisfactory government services.

There is no doubt the quality of professional skills and experience gained by the interns are impressive. But they must be interviewed before being employed into the public service.

The commission should advertise job entry positions to replace the 3,200 looming gaps and let the interns prove themselves in competitive recruitment. The TSC has given its 10,000 interns an advantageous 10 points in employing new teachers, the PSC can do the same.