Kenya's classrooms are braced for turmoil as thousands of intern teachers have rejected a government decision to extend their contracts by another year, demanding immediate conversion to permanent and pensionable terms. The move, affecting some 20,000 educators crucial to the new curriculum, sets the stage for a potential nationwide strike when schools reopen in January 2026.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) confirmed the 12-month extension, aligning with a directive from President William Ruto that interns must serve for two years before qualifying for permanent employment. This policy, however, has been met with fierce resistance from teachers and their unions, who label it exploitative and a profound blow to morale.

A Battle Over Pay and Promises

At the heart of the dispute is the deep dissatisfaction with the terms of internship. Interns currently receive a monthly stipend of approximately KES 20,000, which, after deductions, can be as low as KES 17,000. Teachers argue this is unsustainable amid the rising cost of living. "Some of us teach far from our homes, where we need to rent a house and buy food. In addition, we have families to take care of with the meagre income," noted one JSS teacher from Narok.

The Kenya Junior School Teachers Association has been vocal in its opposition, warning that its members will boycott duty unless their demands are met. This sentiment is echoed by major unions like the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), which has consistently advocated for the teachers' absorption. KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu had previously issued a stern warning, stating that the 46,000 interns from a previous cohort must be confirmed by January 2025, or "hell might break loose."

Legal and Systemic Cracks

The internship program has been fraught with legal challenges. In April 2024, the Employment and Labour Relations Court declared the programme illegal due to unequal pay for equal work, though a stay order allowed the TSC to continue with the internships until August 1, 2024. This history of conflict has fostered deep mistrust among the educators.

The standoff threatens to cripple the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), particularly in Junior Secondary Schools, where intern teachers form the backbone of the workforce. With a national teacher shortage exceeding 100,000, the reliance on interns is a critical stop-gap measure that now appears to be reaching a breaking point.

• Teacher's Demand: Immediate confirmation to permanent and pensionable terms.
• Government's Stance: Interns must complete a two-year term before permanent employment.
• Core Grievances: Low pay (approx. KES 17,000-20,000 stipend) and job insecurity.
• Potential Impact: Nationwide strike and disruption of the school calendar in January 2026.

As the TSC directs its county officials to finalize the contract extensions by December 20th, the nation watches anxiously. The government's ability to avert a crisis that could leave millions of students without teachers hangs in the balance, dependent on whether a compromise can be found before the first school bell of 2026 rings.