The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has extended the contracts of intern teachers who were recruited in September 2023 by four months, running from September 1st to December 31st, 2024.
The TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, has directed that the contracts be extended for those intern teachers who are willing. Macharia also asked interns to fill out forms ahead of the August 31 expiry of the current job agreement
The TSC the decision to extend the contracts of intern teachers is aimed at maintaining the continuity of education in schools while preparing for a larger recruitment exercise scheduled for October this year
According to TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, the extension of intern teachers is to allow the current cohort of intern teachers to remain in school until the end of the year, providing a seamless transition into the new academic year.
In October, this year, TSC is also planning to recruit 20,000 intern teachers. Of these, 18,000 will be for junior secondary schools and 2,000 for primary.
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TSC hired the first cohort of teachers on contract in January in January 2024, their contract was extended for another year, beginning January 2024.
In April this year, the Employment and Labour Relations Court suspended the employment of tutors on an intern basis agreeing with the interns that it was an unfair labour practice.
TSC contested the decision by Justice Bryum Ongaya at the Court of Appeal and got a reprieve recently. The court’s three judges said the hiring of teachers in internship positions be stopped until an appeal is heard and determined.
TSC said that the orders by Justice Ongaya had thrown its operations into a spin as the money required to hire the intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms was not budgeted for.
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