Uasin gishu: The Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers from Uasin Gishu County are demanding that the government provide formal confirmation of their status and roles, as well as permanent employment for all 44,000 teachers currently under the internship program. The teachers have criticized the current arrangement as illegal.
According to Kenya News Agency, the teachers, led by Richard Mibei, Deputy Secretary of KUPPET in Uasin Gishu, have expressed concerns about the limitations imposed by the current leadership structure. They argue that operating under the primary school system restricts their ability to make independent decisions, which in turn affects the quality of education provided to JSS learners.
The teachers have also highlighted a shortage of resources in schools, with JSS teachers having to compete with primary school teachers for facilities and materials. This competition, they say, is hampering effective teaching and learning. Mibei stated, “We are doing the same work as fully employed teachers, yet we lack job security. We want the government to recognize us and offer permanent employment. We also need full autonomy for JSS to improve our performance.”
The teachers have issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to address their demands, threatening a nationwide strike if their concerns are not met. Lucy Gitau, a JSS teacher, lamented, “We are the people who are in classrooms, we are the ones taking care of the education system. Why is the government not confirming us? Internship is illegal.”
Kennedy Tarus, another JSS teacher, emphasized the lack of essential resources like lab apparatus and equipment necessary for delivering Competency-Based Education (CBE) content. He argued for JSS to be recognized as a stand-alone level of education.
Anthony Hosea, a Youth Representative for KUPPET Uasin Gishu branch, expressed his dissatisfaction, pointing out that a strike would primarily affect students and parents from less affluent backgrounds, while those from wealthier families attending private schools would remain unaffected.
