Education

TSC confirms sacking 742 JSS intern teachers

Intern teachers from junior secondary schools in Nairobi take part in a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in Upper Hill on May 13, 2024. (Photo: Barack Oduor/EV)

By Lucy Mumbi | Tuesday, June 11, 2024

The teachers have been fired over protests that started on May 13 as they demanded permanent and pensionable posts.

The contracts of 742 junior secondary school intern teachers have been terminated for their participation in a three-week strike, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has confirmed.

The commission said on Tuesday that this represented 1.6 per cent of the 46,000 intern teachers countrywide.

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The teacher’s protests started on May 13, with a demand for permanent and pensionable posts, an action that coincided with the reopening of schools for the second term. This prompted the TSC to issue them show-cause letters, citing absenteeism, negligence, and insubordination, marking the beginning of disciplinary action.

The TSC said 10,348 teachers were issued letters on May 13, 2024, to explain their whereabouts and why they had not reported to their schools.

“They were given 14 days from May 22, 2024, to respond and report back to school."

Some 9,606 teachers complied, responding and resuming duty, while 742 did not, leading to the termination of their contracts by the TSC, which says it has since replaced them.

“Those who didn’t report back and [whose[ whereabouts are not known are 742," the commission said.

The TSC's confirmation came hours after it announced that it had issued termination letters to the teachers for failing to report to duty and engaging in professional misconduct.

“Reference is made to the show cause letter dated May 22, 2024, in which you were accorded an opportunity to explain the reasons why your engagement as an intern should not be terminated on account of professional misconduct. The commission has carefully considered your response and found the same to be unsatisfactory," the TSC said in a June 10 letter seen by The Eastleigh Voice.

"In view of the above, the commission has decided to terminate your internship engagement with effect from June 6, 2024, on the grounds that you engaged in acts of professional misconduct, in that you deserted duty with effect from May 13, 2024, while engaged as an intern teacher."

A similar message was conveyed in a June 6, 2024, letter.

The teachers had suspended their strike until July 5, 2024, noting that they had held productive negotiations with the National Assembly’s Labour and Education committee and obtained the approval of some key demands.

The teachers said they were waiting for the budget to be passed on Thursday for them to return to class.

JSS National Spokesperson Bonface Omari emphasised the need for the TSC to release a circular confirming the teachers' transition to permanent and pensionable terms immediately after the passing of the budget.

“After a meeting of JSS County leaders, we resolved to suspend our demonstrations to pave the way for parliament to pass the 2024–2025 budget on Thursday. Please note that this means the strike that began on April 17, 2024, has not been called off but suspended until July 5, 2024. By that date, we should have gotten communication on the status of the confirmation of the 46,000 teachers," Omari said.