The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has broken its silence on the ongoing strike by intern teachers.
In a statement on Tuesday, May 14, TSC asked Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers to obey court orders and go back to school.
TSC Chair Dr. Jamleck Muturi explained that the internship programme is a national government initiative aimed at providing practical working experience.
“The attention of the TSC is drawn to media reports on demonstrations by teacher interns. 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 13th May 2024,” said Muturi.
According to TSC, the Court ruled in favor of the petitioner but subsequently stayed the judgement until 1st August 2024.
The Forum for Good Governance and Human Rights petitioned the Court challenging the teacher internship programme.
Justice Bryrum Ongaya of the Employment and Labour Relations Court on April 17 ruled that TSC’s internship program is illegal.
Court Declares TSC Internship Illegal
He said TSC violated the intern teachers’ right to fair labour practice as they are qualified and possess teaching licenses.
“The respondents have not exhibited statutory regulatory or policy arrangements that would entitle the first respondent (TSC) to employ interns,” Ongaya said in the ruling.
“Ideally, the first respondent should employ registered teachers on terms that are not discriminatory and to meet the optimal staffing needs in public schools.”
The intern teachers are currently employed on contract annually.
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JSS Intern Teachers
JSS intern teachers have vowed to continuously hold protests in different parts of the country until the TSC employs them under permanent and pensionable terms.
On May 12, Nairobi County JSS intern teachers Chairperson Owino Okelo led the teachers in a protest from the Nairobi bus terminus to TSC headquarters.
Okelo maintained that JSS teachers will strike constantly in countrywide until they are confirmed into permanent and pensionable terms.
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He emphasized that teachers will not report to schools for the second term as interns, as the courts have ruled the TSC internship program to be unlawful.
“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 in a bid to comply with the court ruling,” he said.
JSS teachers also want to be compensated for the period they have worked without pay as interns.
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