Senators have accused the government of blatant exploitation of Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers after Education CS Julius Ogamba ruled out their confirmation next year, igniting a fresh Senate campaign to secure permanent jobs for all 20,000 interns.
The legislators slammed the government for what they termed a deliberate move to subject qualified teachers to endless temporary contracts, warning that the policy risks turning the internship programme into a tool for cheap labour.
They now want an urgent review of the framework governing teacher internships, insisting that educators who have met all professional requirements should transition into permanent and pensionable terms without delay.
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Their outrage follows Ogamba’s disclosure to Parliament that the interns will have to renew their contracts in 2026 unless the National Treasury allocates funds for their confirmation. His statement triggered uproar among lawmakers, who argued it contradicts promises previously issued by senior government officials.
Kirinyaga Senator James Murango, who received a petition from JSS interns in his county, said any attempt to extend the internship period would violate Article 41 of the Constitution on fair labour practices. He urged the Ministry of Education and the Treasury to immediately align their positions and provide clarity to the affected teachers.
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Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu said the current stipend paid to interns is insufficient to meet even basic needs, leaving many discouraged despite carrying full teaching workloads. He described the continued classification of qualified graduates as interns as “outright exploitation”.
The confusion deepened after Ogamba’s remarks appeared to contradict Treasury CS John Mbadi, who had earlier assured the public that the government had set aside Ksh5.4 billion to convert all JSS interns to permanent and pensionable terms by January 2026, in line with President William Ruto’s pledge.
The conflicting positions have now created intense uncertainty for the 20,000 intern teachers whose contracts expire in December 2025.
By Mercy Kokwon
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