The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to employ at least 18,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers by December 2025 for a one-year internship term.
According to TSC, this initiative is aimed at addressing the ongoing teacher shortage in Grades 7, 8, and 9, which currently operate under a strained teacher-to-class ratio of 1:1.
Already, the Parliamentary Budget and Appropriations Committee has approved funding for the employment of these intern teachers in the 2025–2026 financial year. The recruitment drive will include both diploma and graduate teachers, ensuring that JSS learners receive quality education.
TSC is seeking a budget approval of Ksh 382.3 billion to cater to teacher recruitment, salaries, salary increments, and promotions, among other crucial needs. This budget is expected to play a vital role in alleviating the persistent teacher shortage across the country.
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A significant portion of the budget, Ksh 1.8 billion, has already been approved to ensure that 46,000 intern teachers who were converted to permanent and pensionable (PnP) terms in January 2025 continue receiving their salaries uninterrupted throughout the financial year.
In addition, the commission has secured extra funds for the recruitment of another 18,000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms. This mass hiring exercise will cater to both primary and secondary schools, further strengthening the teaching workforce across the country.
A total of 20,000 JSS intern teachers were recruited in November 2024 and deployed to schools in January 2025 for a one-year internship term. However, due to replacements and internal movements, at least 1,645 of these intern teachers secured positions in secondary schools, leaving a gap that TSC plans to address through replacements.
Despite these efforts, TSC still faces a severe teacher shortage. The commission currently requires a total of 72,422 additional teachers to adequately staff JSS institutions. According to TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, the overall requirement for handling Grades 7, 8, and 9 stands at 149,350 teachers.
However, as of now, only 76,928 teachers are employed in JSS, representing just 51.5% of the required workforce.
The 76,928 teachers currently serving in JSS include:
- 20,000 JSS intern teachers
- 39,550 teachers who were initially hired on internship terms but have since been confirmed
- 8,378 P1 teachers deployed to JSS in 2023 and 2024
- 9,000 JSS teachers recruited on permanent and pensionable terms
To further bridge this gap, TSC plans to deploy an additional 6,000 Primary Teacher Education (PTE) teachers to JSS by April 2025.
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Since the introduction of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and Competency-Based Assessment (CBA), TSC has been actively retooling teachers to adapt to the new system.
Since April 2019, a total of 229,292 teachers have undergone retooling. Between May 2023 and November 2024 alone, 60,642 JSS teachers have been trained to align with CBC and CBA requirements.
The Teacher Internship Programme is a structured one-year initiative designed to equip and sustain the competencies of newly recruited teachers. It primarily targets unemployed but registered teachers, who are assigned to learning institutions to gain hands-on experience through mentorship, coaching, and practical teaching exposure.
Although the internship period officially lasts twelve months, many of the recent interns have served for two years due to ongoing staffing shortages and contract extensions.
While the internship is not a fully remunerative engagement, interns attached to JSS institutions receive a monthly stipend of Ksh 20,000, subject to statutory deductions such as NHIF, NSSF, and the Housing Levy. Interns in primary schools receive a stipend of Ksh 15,000.
Upon successful completion of the program, teacher interns are awarded a certificate, which plays a crucial role in future employment opportunities. In the latest recruitment scorecard for permanent and pensionable teachers, TSC awarded 50 marks to all teachers who had previously served as interns, regardless of the duration.
Applications for TSC internships are strictly submitted online. To qualify for an internship in a primary school, an applicant must:
- Hold a Primary Teacher Education (PTE) or Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) certificate
- Be registered with TSC
For junior secondary school internships, applicants must:
- Hold at least a diploma in education
- Have attained a minimum of a C+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
- Have a C+ in at least two teaching subjects
- Be registered with TSC
Verification and Interview Requirements
During the verification and interview process, applicants are required to present the following documents:
- A copy of their Teacher Registration Certificate or a printout from the TSC online portal
- A copy of their National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) card (if applicable)
- A copy of their National Identity Card (ID) or passport
- Two passport-sized color photographs
- A copy of their National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) card
- A copy of their Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) PIN
Interns attached to primary schools will receive a stipend of Ksh 15,000, while those in JSS will receive Ksh 20,000. Upon completion of the Internship program, all participants will be awarded a certificate of internship.
Despite these ongoing recruitment and internship programs, TSC still faces a significant staffing crisis. The shortage of 72,422 teachers in JSS alone underscores the urgent need for increased funding and recruitment efforts.
While the planned employment of 18,000 intern teachers by December 2025 is a step in the right direction, education stakeholders continue to push for more sustainable long-term solutions.
Calls for increased permanent employment, better teacher incentives, and additional training opportunities continue to dominate discussions within the education sector.
As the CBC continues to be implemented, ensuring that schools have sufficient, well-trained, and motivated teachers remains one of the biggest challenges for TSC. The upcoming recruitments and budget allocations will be crucial in shaping the future of JSS education in the country.
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