The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has declared its stance on hiring the 44,000 intern teachers on a permanent and pensionable basis.
In a statement dated April 29, TSC announced plans to implement a court ruling issued on 27 February 2026 that affects the status of 44,000 serving teacher interns.
The commission stated that it is actively working on arrangements to facilitate their transition to permanent, pensionable employment within the public teaching service.
“The Commission is actively pursuing the necessary budgetary provisions to facilitate the employment of the 44,000 serving teacher interns on permanent and pensionable terms,” the statement partly read.
According to the statement, the decision follows a legal determination that requires the government and the commission to address the employment status of the affected teacher interns.
Govt Internship Policy and Education Workforce Plan
The commission explained that the broader government policy continues to prioritize job creation and youth employment through structured internship programs across the public service.
In its statement, the TSC said it remains committed to improving the terms and conditions of service for teachers and maintaining stability within the public education system.
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The commission also appealed to teacher interns to allow the government adequate time to mobilize the required financial resources needed to support their transition into permanent and pensionable employment.
“In this regard, the Commission appeals to teacher interns to grant the Government adequate time to mobilize the required resources to support their transition to permanent and pensionable employment,” TSC noted.
Court Declares TSC Teacher Internship Program Unlawful
The Court of Appeal of Kenya, in Civil Appeal No. E403 of 2024 upheld a ruling declaring an aspect of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) teacher internship program unconstitutional.
The case stemmed from a 4 January 2023 circular by TSC that invited trained and registered teachers to apply for 35,550 teaching positions, including 25,550 internship posts alongside 10,000 permanent and pensionable posts.
According to the court ruling, the Employment and Labor Relations Court (ELRC) had previously found that trained and registered teachers engaged as interns were subjected to unfair labor practices and discrimination by being denied standard employment terms applicable to similarly qualified teachers.
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The Court of Appeal, in the ruling, affirmed that interns fall within the definition of employees under Kenyan employment law and held that the TSC has a constitutional mandate to employ registered teachers under lawful and non-discriminatory terms.
It further found that assigning qualified teachers to internship positions without a clear legal framework amounted to unjustified differential treatment.
The Court upheld the declaration that the internship arrangements and related recruitment circular contravened the Constitution, effectively rendering the program unlawful unless implemented under a clear, constitutionally compliant policy framework.
