President William Ruto has confirmed that all TSC intern teachers employed by the government must complete a mandatory two-year internship before automatic conversion to permanent and pensionable (P and P) terms. The announcement clarifies the government’s policy on intern conversion, timelines, and expectations for junior school interns whose one-year contracts end in December 2025.
Key Takeaways
- All government-employed TSC intern teachers will serve a two-year internship before conversion to permanent and pensionable terms.
- Conversion to P and P is described as automatic after the two-year service, but funding and Treasury approval affect timing.
- About 20,000 junior school interns have contracts running through 31 December 2025; further recruitment and verification are underway.
- Teachers currently earn a monthly stipend of Ksh 20,000 before statutory deductions and face uncertainty if funds are not allocated.
What President Ruto said
Speaking from Kitui during a live interview, President Ruto stated that intern teachers will be absorbed into permanent and pensionable employment after completing a two-year internship. He emphasized that serving for two years is a mandatory step before confirmation. This statement reaffirms a policy that was introduced in 2023 requiring interns across government departments to serve two-year contracts.
Numbers, timelines and funding
Currently, approximately 20,000 junior school intern teachers are on contracts running from 1 January to 31 December 2025. The Education Cabinet Secretary noted that confirming these interns to P and P depends on available budgetary resources. The Treasury, however, has indicated intention to allocate funds — with a referenced figure of Ksh 5.4 billion mentioned by the Treasury CS for the conversion exercise.
The conflicting statements between the Presidency, Education Ministry, and Treasury create uncertainty. The Education CS has said extending contracts is an option if resources are not released, while the Treasury has previously indicated confirmation could happen in January 2026 if funds are allocated.
What this means for intern teachers
Interns should prepare for a two-year contractual period before automatic absorption to the P and P payroll. While the presidential assurance provides a clear policy direction, the practical timeline for confirmation depends on budget allocation and administrative steps such as document verification and payroll updates.
- Documentation: Teachers should keep their employment documents, academic certificates, and identification ready for verification exercises scheduled by TSC.
- Payroll changes: Once absorbed, pay slips and payroll codes will change from probationary codes to P and P status after any required probation period.
- Benefits: Confirmed teachers can expect better salary scales, medical cover, leave entitlements, and loan eligibility.
Recent context: strikes, conversions and new recruitment
Past industrial action by interns influenced earlier conversions. In 2024, thousands of junior school teachers pushed for confirmation through strikes and countrywide demonstrations. That pressure led to conversions in January 2025 for some interns, with TSC absorbing teachers to the P and P payroll after meeting probation requirements.
The Teachers Service Commission is continuing recruitment and verification. Reports indicate TSC is finalizing recruitment of an additional 24,000 junior school interns and plans document verification in December ahead of January postings. The Education Ministry has also signalled plans to recruit further cohorts in 2026.
Implications for schools and the CBC rollout
Confirmed posting and recruitment aim to support the Competency Based Education (CBE) model at junior secondary level. The presence of trained interns helps schools deliver curricula changes and maintain class sizes. Headteachers and school managers should plan for staff complement changes and orientation of new interns when posted in January.
What interns and parents should do next
- Monitor official TSC communications for verification dates and posting lists.
- Ensure personal and academic documents are current and certified copies are available.
- Follow Treasury and Ministry announcements on budget allocations that affect confirmation timelines.
- Engage with local teacher unions or professional associations for updates and support where needed.
Resources for teachers and learners
Teachers supporting CBC classes and Grade 9 learners can find curriculum materials and practice exams to aid classroom delivery and revision. Useful downloadable resources include the CBC exam practice papers and the 2025 Grade 9 schemes of work designed to guide senior school choice and term planning. For students preparing for national exams, the KCSE revision papers 2025 provide topical practice and exam-style questions.
In summary, the requirement for a two-year internship for TSC intern teachers is now formally stated by the President. Interns should expect verification and posting schedules from TSC, while confirmation to permanent and pensionable terms will follow completion of the two-year period and the availability of government funding.
