TSC Urged to Confirm Intern Teachers On PnP Terms
TSC Urged to Confirm Intern Teachers On PnP Terms
Education stakeholders pushed for the creation of an independent commission for teachers in order to draft a constitution that would address the issues faced by Kenyan teachers. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was given the authority to hire teachers of all grades and credentials under Article 237 of the 2010 constitution.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has been at the forefront of urging the government to hire more teachers, aiming to alleviate teachers’ workload and enhance the quality of teaching and learning, aligning with the SDG 4 Agenda for accessible, affordable, and quality education by 2030.
Policies such as Free Primary Education (FPE) in 2003 and Free Day Secondary Education, coupled with the 100 percent transition policy, led to a surge in student enrollment, putting pressure on teacher numbers, school infrastructure, and teaching materials.
KNUT pressed for teacher employment to address the resulting shortage, leading to industrial unrest and eventually a memorandum of understanding in 2010 for the hiring of teachers on a contract basis.
Originally intended to be a temporary remedy, this contractual employment was eventually included in the 2015 revision to the code of regulations, which raised questions over compliance with laws of the International Labor Organization. By hiring teachers as term interns, particularly for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the TSC carried on this practice.
As the contracts of a substantial number of teachers, including 20,000 JSS intern teachers, approach expiration, the lack of communication from the commission raises uncertainty. KNUT demands the removal of clauses 56 and 58 in the ongoing review of the code of regulations, asserting that these clauses violate international labor conventions and laws.
In order to give these teachers preference when new teachers are expected to be hired in 2024, the union suggests changing these teachers to permanent and pensionable status.KNUT calls on the commission to take into account measures that instill trust and faith in workers, highlighting the role of companies as protectors of employees. The union promises to fight for equitable treatment of teachers who are leaving these contractual jobs.
