Uncertain fate of JSS teachers, money woes to affect learning

JSS intern teachers take to the streets of Naivasha calling on the government to employ them on permanent and pensionable terms. [File, Standard]

Schools report back from midterm amid heightened anxiety over the fate of employment of Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers, financial crunch and uncertainty over the safety of learners.

It is now emerging that the hope for permanent and pensionable employment for the over 46,000 intern teachers this month could be dashed with anticipated budget cuts threatening some key projects in the education sector.

The government allocated Sh18 billion for the employment of interns starting in July this year.

However, the plan now faces uncertainty leading to further delays in the employment of the intern teachers.

Initially, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), had planned to absorb the interns to permanent and pensionable terms in January 2025.

But MPs in May pushed for their confirmation to happen sooner after a section of the teachers staged protests in demand of better employment terms.

The effects of slashing the budget and subsequent delays in the employment of the intern teachers, could see thousands of the teachers back on the streets to demand for permanent employment.

This comes amid tension in schools over the ongoing anti-government demonstrations in various parts of the country.

The protests saw a number of schools scheduled to report back to school on Monday and Tuesday after the midterm break postpone their reporting dates to Wednesday.

Many boarding schools released students early last week due to heightened activities surrounding protests against the Finance Bill 2024.

Citing safety concerns, schools extended the midterm break beyond the Ministry of Education's stipulated three-day period.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Chairman, Willie Kuria, said anxiety among parents and teachers, has led to an extended break.

“Most of our teachers decided to send students home earlier for midterm break due to the uncertainty. Last week, we were in Mombasa, and as parents, we could not have settled with learners on the roads,” Kuria said.

However, the bigger challenge for the institutions, Kuria says is the financial crunch that has been occasioned by government delays in releasing capitation funds.

Despite the long break, Kuria further noted that many parents have sent their children back to school without paying fees worsening the financial crisis in the institutions.

“We are struggling. Some of our parents cannot even raise bus fare for their children to return to school after the midterm break, let alone the school fees,” he added.

Machakos School Principal, Benson Manoo, reported that while most students have returned, many have not paid their school fees. “Parents have been calling us to give them time to settle fees balances. We understand, especially after the floods and looting during the protests, many livelihoods have been severely affected,” Manoo said.

National Parents Association Chairman, Silas Obuhatsa, appealed to school administrators to give parents more time to settle fees arrears.