The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has extinguished the hopes of 20,000 junior school intern teachers for immediate permanent employment, extending their contracts for another 12 months. This move has triggered widespread frustration among the educators, who had anticipated confirmation to permanent and pensionable (P&P) terms upon the expiry of their current contracts in December 2025.

The decision directly impacts the livelihoods and career stability of teachers who have been pivotal in implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in junior schools. Many now face another year of modest stipends, which they argue are insufficient to cope with the rising cost of living, and lack the job security, medical insurance, and pension benefits afforded to their P&P colleagues.

A Policy Shift and Broken Promises

The extension aligns with a government policy requiring a two-year internship period before teachers can be considered for permanent employment. President William Ruto recently affirmed this stance, stating that interns must serve for two years before automatic absorption, a policy he defended as a pragmatic way to manage the country's large number of unemployed teachers. However, this contradicts what many teachers understood from their initial one-year, non-renewable contracts, leading to accusations of shifting goalposts.

The news comes as a significant blow, especially after conflicting statements from government officials had created uncertainty. While some officials had previously assured teachers of confirmation by January 2026, the latest circular from the TSC solidifies a longer waiting period.

Union Outcry and Looming Disruption

Teacher advocacy groups have vehemently opposed the extension. The Kenya Junior School Teachers Association Chairperson, James Odhiambo, described the move as a “profound blow” to morale, warning of the emotional toll on the dejected interns. The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) had earlier pressured the TSC to confirm the teachers, highlighting the anxiety caused by the delay.

The standoff now threatens to disrupt the start of the new school year in January 2026. Key details of the situation include:

• Affected Teachers: 20,000 interns who began their service in January 2025.
• Contract Extension: Effective from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.
• Stipend: Interns earn approximately KES 20,000 before deductions, a figure they deem inadequate.
• Union Demand: Immediate revocation of the extension letters and issuance of permanent and pensionable appointment letters.

In a circular dated November 27, 2025, TSC Acting CEO Eveleen Mitei instructed county directors to issue the extension offers immediately, requiring interns to formally accept or decline. Those who accept must secure a valid Personal Accident Cover for the new period. The commission is also preparing to replace any interns who decline the offer, using existing merit lists to prevent learning disruptions.

As teachers weigh their options, the potential for a nationwide class boycott looms, casting a shadow over the stability of the junior secondary school system. The core of the dispute remains the gap between the teachers' expectations for secure employment and the government's phased approach to hiring, a conflict that now places the nation's educational continuity at risk.