TSC issues a warning to striking Intern teachers
TSC issues a warning to striking Intern teachers
The intern teachers are currently employed on contract annually.
In Summary
- TSC said that the Internship Programme is a national government initiative aimed at providing practical working experience.
- According to TSC, the Court ruled in favour of the petitioner but subsequently stayed the judgment until August 1, 2024.
The Teachers Service Commission has directed striking intern teachers to go back to school.
According to TSC, the National Internship Program is a government initiative designed to give people real-world work experience.
TSC stated in a statement on Tuesday that the intern teachers on strike are defying court directives.
“The Commission calls upon the teacher interns engaged under the programme to obey the court order and go back to school as teaching and learning in all public schools formally resumed on May 13, 2024,” the statement read.
They claim that although the Court found in favor of the petitioner, the decision was later postponed until August 1, 2024.
This comes after the Teacher Internship Program was contested in court by the Forum for Good Governance and Human Rights.
Junior Secondary School intern instructors have promised to keep staging nationwide demonstrations until the Teachers Service Commission hires them on a permanent, pensionable basis.
Because the intern instructors are qualified and hold teaching licenses, Justice Bryrum Ongaya of the Employment and Labour Relations Court concluded on April 17 that TSC had breached their right to fair labor practices.In the decision, Ongaya stated that “the respondents have not exhibited statutory regulatory or policy arrangements that would entitle the first respondent (TSC) to employ interns.”
“Ideally, the first respondent should hire registered teachers on nondiscriminatory terms and to satisfy public school staffing needs as best as possible,” the verdict stated.
Chairperson Owino Okelo of Nairobi County JSS intern teachers led the teachers in a protest on Monday.
They marched to TSC headquarters from the bus terminal in Nairobi.
“Until we are confirmed into permanent and pensionable terms, JSS teachers in Nairobi and throughout the nation will continue to go on strike,” he declared.
In an effort to comply with the court verdict, he declared, “We obey the court order by staying away from schools and all teachers shall be involved in peaceful demos as call and agitation for action from TSC.”
The confirmation of permanent and pensionable periods is what the instructors desire.
In addition, they seek payment for the time they spent working as interns without receiving paid.
“TSC has the right to convene with the educators to discuss the interns’ confirmation into permanent and pensionable positions in accordance with the court’s decision,” Okelo stated.
