TSC Confirms 46,000 Teachers To Permanent And Pensionable Terms

In a major milestone for the teaching profession in Kenya, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has officially confirmed 46,000 teachers who were serving under internship terms to permanent and pensionable (PnP) employment.

This follows the successful completion of their mandatory six-month probation period, which began in January 2025. The confirmation by  TSC marks the conclusion of a journey that began in January when the intern teachers, who had previously been serving in various schools across the country, were absorbed into permanent roles.

Their probation period was part of the TSC’s regulatory requirement, which mandates that new teachers serve a six-month probation before confirmation into full-time employment.

The transition from internship to permanent employment was not without its challenges. It came against the backdrop of growing frustration among teachers, especially those posted in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), who felt neglected and undercompensated despite the critical role they played in the rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

In 2023, JSS intern teachers held a nationwide strike, demanding that the government and the TSC honour their promise of confirming them to permanent and pensionable terms. Their protests drew national attention and added pressure on the government to act decisively.

Eventually, their demands were met, thanks in part to the intervention of President William Ruto, whose Kenya Kwanza administration has prioritized teacher employment as part of its broader education reform agenda. Since taking office in 2022, the Ruto administration has employed over 76,000 teachers, the largest teacher recruitment drive in the country’s history.

According to data from the TSC, by December 2024, a total of 46,000 teachers were still on internship terms. These included; 21,550 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers and 4,000 Primary School teachers recruited in February 2023,

450 Secondary School teachers recruited in April 2023 and 18,000 JSS teachers and 2,000 Primary School teachers recruited in September 2023.

These teachers received formal appointment and employment letters in January 2025, marking the start of their probationary period and the transition to full employment under PnP terms.

With their confirmation, the teachers are now entitled to a wide array of employment benefits that were previously unavailable to them as interns. These include; A comprehensive medical cover, Access to paid annual, maternity, and sick leave, Eligibility for government loans, and Increased job security under the TSC framework.

The financial difference is also significant. Primary school teachers who were previously earning a monthly stipend of Ksh 13,000 during their internship period will now earn a net salary of approximately Ksh 32,000 after statutory deductions. Similarly, graduate teachers in secondary and junior secondary schools who were earning Ksh 17,000 as interns will now take home as much as Ksh 49,000 in net pay.

The journey to permanent employment culminated in October 2024, when TSC advertised 46,000 teaching positions under permanent terms. The breakdown included; 6,000 positions for primary schools, 39,550 positions for junior secondary schools, and 450 positions for regular secondary schools.

The Commission received an overwhelming 314,000 applications for these positions, many from qualified non-intern teachers. However, based on its official recruitment scorecard, TSC prioritized the absorption of serving intern teachers.

Intern teachers received 50 marks automatically for their service during the scoring process. As a result, the lowest-scoring intern in junior secondary still attained 62 marks, while non-intern applicants could not score more than 45 marks, effectively giving interns a decisive advantage.

This score-based preference aligns with TSC’s policy of giving priority to interns when recruiting permanent staff, ensuring a return on investment in the internship program and incentivizing service under temporary terms.

The TSC is continuing with its internship recruitment efforts. In January 2025, the Commission recruited 20,000 new intern teachers to support learning in junior secondary schools.

These newly recruited interns are also expected to be converted to permanent terms at the end of the year, subject to successful completion of their duties and the vetting process, which will only require the presentation of a valid national identification card.

The confirmation of 46,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable employment is a landmark event for the education sector in Kenya. It not only addresses the longstanding grievances of underpaid intern teachers but also boosts the morale and capacity of the country’s teaching workforce.

Through this effort, the TSC and the Kenya Kwanza government have demonstrated a commitment to improving teacher welfare and strengthening the delivery of quality education across the country, a critical component of the country’s education transformation agenda.

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