The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will convert 20,000 teachers employed on contract under the controversial ‘internship’ programme to permanent and pensionable terms starting January next year as the government moves to ease growing pressure over staffing shortages.
Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education on Wednesday, May 13, TSC Acting Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei said the remaining 24,000 intern teachers would be absorbed in the 2027/2028 financial year, subject to Treasury funding.
The disclosures came as the commission unveiled an ambitious promotion plan expected to benefit nearly 30,000 teachers following an additional Sh2 billion allocation from the government.
The twin announcements, the confirmation of teachers on contract and expanded promotions, mark one of the largest teacher staffing and career progression exercises undertaken by TSC in recent years, amid mounting discontent within the teaching service over stagnated promotions, acting appointments and prolonged terms under the controversial ‘internship’ programme.
The 44,000 intern teachers were deployed largely to junior secondary schools to aid transition under the competency-based education (CBE), but many have spent years on temporary contracts despite performing duties similar to permanently employed teachers.
Under the proposed plan, the first batch of 20,000 teachers will be confirmed after the expiry of their contracts in December.
Parliament buildings in Nairobi.
Photo credit: File| Nation Media Group
Lawmakers questioned why the confirmations would wait until January, despite the Treasury's expected release of funds in July. The commission estimates that converting the 20,000 teachers alone will require about Sh4.9 billion. Combined with costs for promotions and other staffing obligations, the package is expected to consume nearly Sh15 billion.
TSC Director of Staffing Antonina Lentoijoni told MPs that the additional Sh2 billion allocation would significantly expand promotion opportunities for teachers who have remained in the same grades for years.
“We promoted so many teachers in the last three years,” she said while presenting the commission’s staffing data to the committee.
According to figures tabled before MPs, TSC promoted 14,728 teachers in the 2022/2023 financial year, 36,504 in 2023/2024, 27,452 in 2024/2025 and 21,383 teachers in the current financial year — bringing the total number promoted in four years to 100,067.
Even so, the commission acknowledged that thousands of teachers remain stuck in the same job groups despite years of service.
“With one additional billion, we normally promote around 6,000 teachers. The rest arise from teacher exits,” Lentoijoni told the committee, adding that the latest funding could push promotions to nearly 30,000 teachers in the coming financial year.
The hearing also exposed persistent concerns over acting appointments in schools, with MPs demanding explanations on why hundreds of teachers continue serving in administrative positions without substantive grades.
TSC linked the problem to affirmative action policies introduced in marginalised areas, where teachers were fast-tracked into leadership positions to address staffing gaps.
Some teachers, the commission said, are still progressing through the grading structure years after being appointed in acting capacities.
Ms Lentoijoni said TSC is now reviewing its Career Progression Guidelines in an attempt to eliminate acting positions and streamline promotion pathways for both classroom teachers and school administrators.
“So that we review with the aim of eradicating any acting position,” she told MPs.
Under the current framework, graduate teachers enter service at Grade C2 before moving automatically to C3 after three years based on performance, after which they compete for higher grades, including C4, C5 and the D grades reserved for administrators.
The staffing plans come against the backdrop of a Court of Appeal ruling directing the government to employ all 44,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Government estimates indicate that fully absorbing the teachers would require at least Sh2.5 billion monthly, equivalent to roughly Sh30 billion annually — funds that are yet to be fully provided for in both the current budget and the 2026/2027 Budget Policy Statement.
MPs also questioned TSC over changes to the teachers’ medical scheme after the commission reduced spending on health cover from about Sh20 billion under the Minet insurance arrangement to Sh15.4 billion under the new Social Health Authority-backed system.
Ms Mitei defended the transition, saying the integration of the Social Health Insurance Fund had reduced costs without affecting benefits available to teachers.
“The services are the same,” she said.
