Intern Teachers To Be Confirmed In 2 Months, William Ruto Announces

• On Thursday, August 29, President William Ruto re-affirmed his commitment to confirm 46,000 intern teachers
• Ruto explained that his Kenya Kwanza administration has set aside resources to convert the intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms within two months
• The president further assured teachers that funds have been allocated to meet the terms agreed upon in the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with TSC

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Kisumu - President William Ruto has assured intern teachers that his Kenya Kwanza administration will confirm them to permanent and pensionable terms.

William Ruto pledges to confirm intern teachers

During a town hall session in Kisumu on Thursday, August 29, Ruto explained the government's decision to hire teachers as interns rather than offer them permanent jobs.

While acknowledging the challenge of the country's teacher shortage, the president pledged to confirm the employment of the current 46,000 intern teachers within the next two months.

“We have a big shortage of teachers and we also have a big pool of trained teachers and schools that have no teachers. If I had decided to hire teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, I could only have employed 12,000 or 13,000. Instead, I chose to hire this large pool of unemployed teachers as interns, with the guarantee that after two years of internship, they will secure permanent and pensionable positions, they will now be confirmed in the next two months,” Ruto explained.

What William Ruto said about teacher's strike

The president also urged teachers to reconsider their decision to strike, stating that the government had provided the necessary resources to fulfil their demands.

Ruto assured teachers that funds have been allocated to meet the terms agreed upon in the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teachers.

“Some unions want to incite teachers to go on strike on a matter that we have already sorted. We have allocated money for the CBA negotiated between the TSC and teachers. By today or tomorrow every teacher will have their salaries and arrears paid in accordance to the signed CBA. There is absolutely no justification for anyone to tell teachers to go on strike,” the president said.

Why did the Teachers Service Commission refuse to engage KUPPET?

Meanwhile, TSC declined to engage with KUPPET until the union adheres to a recent Labour Court order suspending the strike

KUPPET requested a meeting with TSC to resolve teacher issues, stating a preference for amicable resolution over prolonged court disputes

TSC stated that it had fulfilled the 2021–2025 CBA and paid arrears but requires KUPPET to comply with court orders before resuming negotiations

The commission said it had resolved all grievances raised by KUPPET and is prepared to negotiate further once the union withdraws the industrial action.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke