The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has ordered daily monitoring of junior school intern teachers after nationwide protests over confirmation and working conditions. The directive requires headteachers and county directors to record attendance for every intern and forward consolidated reports to TSC headquarters for action.
Key Takeaways
- Daily attendance monitoring: TSC requires daily tracking of all junior school intern teachers across counties.
- Possible sanctions: The commission has warned that persistent unauthorized absence may lead to disciplinary action, including dismissal.
- Intern numbers and confirmation: There are 44,000 junior school intern teachers; TSC aims to confirm only 20,000 pending funding and budget decisions.
- Main issues raised: Interns and their union cite confirmation, Social Health Authority (SHA) problems, junior school autonomy and delayed KNEC payments as reasons for protest.
Main directive from TSC on junior school intern teachers
The TSC memo dated 27 April 2026 instructs all Regional and County Directors to verify and consolidate daily attendance for serving junior school intern teachers. Headteachers must keep a running attendance register for interns and submit daily summaries to regional offices. Regions then forward consolidated reports to TSC headquarters by close of business each day.
The reporting framework in the memo specifies an Excel template with two sheets: a running list of interns who failed to report that day and a daily county summary of present and absent intern teachers. The remarks column must show reasons for absence, such as sick leave, maternity leave, official assignment or unauthorized absence. TSC expects accuracy, completeness and punctual submission of the reports.
Why the order was issued
Junior school intern teachers and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) staged nationwide protests on school reopening day. The interns seek confirmation on permanent and pensionable terms. They also raised concerns about the Social Health Authority (SHA) insurance scheme, calls for junior school autonomy and late payments to KNEC invigilators.
Although some county branches issued strike notices, spot checks showed that a majority of interns attended school, likely due to fears over job security. TSC’s monitoring order aims to verify attendance and identify unauthorized absences that could attract sanctions.
Numbers and legal context
Currently, 44,000 junior school teachers serve on internship terms. TSC recruited 20,000 interns in January 2025 on one-year contracts which were later extended through 31 December 2026. In January 2026 the commission hired an additional 24,000 interns and posted them to schools for one-year internships.
A Court of Appeal declared the TSC internship programme null and void, ruling that internships can only apply to trainee teachers. The court held that the teachers labelled as “interns” are fully trained and registered and should be employed as qualified teachers. After this judgement, national leaders indicated plans to confirm some interns, but funding and timing remain unresolved.
Upcoming confirmations and government plans
Government statements from the President, the Education Cabinet Secretary and TSC indicate an intention to confirm the initial 20,000 interns after the July budget. The fate of the 24,000 recruited in January remains unclear. TSC has said it is seeking funding to confirm only 20,000 junior school intern teachers by January 2027. The government also plans to recruit another 16,000 teachers on internship terms for junior and senior schools this year.
What schools and headteachers must do
- Keep a daily, accurate attendance record of every junior school intern teacher.
- Note reasons for absence in the remarks column (sick, maternity, official duty, unauthorized).
- Update the running list daily and capture any status changes immediately.
- Submit consolidated county reports to the regional office, which forwards them to headquarters on the same day.
Practical advice for intern teachers and parents
Intern teachers should keep clear evidence for any authorized leave and follow school reporting procedures. Parents and school administrators should expect regular attendance reviews while policy and funding decisions are finalised. Schools can use available teaching and assessment resources to maintain learning continuity during disputes; for example, teachers can use free CBC exams and free KCPE exam resources to support learners. Headteachers planning term activities may also find PP2 schemes of work helpful for early years planning.
Summary
The TSC attendance directive is an administrative response to protests and legal uncertainty around the internship programme. It focuses on daily verification of intern presence, accurate reporting and prompt consolidation of data to inform decisions. Confirmation of interns remains tied to government funding and the July budget, with only 20,000 positions targeted for confirmation at this stage.
