The government has asserted its readiness to accommodate Grade 9 students by constructing 16,000 classrooms, albeit within a five-month timeframe.
The reduction has particularly impacted the 46,000 JSS intern teachers who have been eagerly awaiting their confirmation since 2023.
The government is planning permanent and pensionable terms for all 46,000 of them and will hire 20,000 interns starting in July.
PS Kipsang emphasised that the issue falls under labour relations and will be addressed by the Ministry of Labour and the Teachers Service Commission.
Kuppet deputy secretary general Moses Thurima explained said TSC's action also breached the Return-to-Work Formula (RTWF) negotiated by the union to resolve the three-week teachers' strike.
The court issued the suspension against the Employment and Labour Relations Court's directive which had mandated the TSC to transition the intern teachers to permanent positions.
The teachers have been fired over protests that started on May 13 as they demanded permanent and pensionable posts.