Ruto assures JSS teachers of permanent employment despite financial setbacks

President William Ruto has assured that all Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers will be confirmed as permanent employees by the end of the year.

He said the teachers currently hired under internship terms will be elevated to enhance service delivery in schools across the country, despite the setbacks imposed by the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024.

He spoke on Wednesday during the commissioning of Kimuka Power Sub Station in Kajiado West, Kajiado County.

“I want to tell all our JSS teachers that despite the challenges we have with the Finance Bill, we are going to make sure that we confirm all teachers before the end of this year to ensure they serve under permanent and pensionable terms as we agreed,” he said.

The withdrawal of the Finance Bill had caused uncertainty among JSS teachers regarding their employment status. They sought clarification from the government on whether their terms would be made permanent as previously promised.

While withdrawing the Bill, President Ruto said that some of the money the Bill sought to raise was to employ the JSS teachers.

In June, the JSS strike prompted the Budget and Appropriation Committee to direct the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to hire all the 46,000 teachers who have been on internships for two years.

Committee chairperson Ndindi Nyoro confirmed that the government had allocated sufficient funds for this purpose in the 2024/2025 Financial Year.

He directed the TSC to hire all the 46,000 interns assuring that there were sufficient resources to confirm the JSS interns into permanent and pensionable terms.

"From the floor of this house, I want to request the TSC as you appropriate this money kindly do not wait until January 2025 to confirm the interns, Please hasten their confirmation as soon as the budget is passed," he said then.

However, the government rolled out a series of austerity measures aimed at curbing government spending, including budget cuts in the education sector, after protests emerged over the States wasteful spending.

The Treasury proposed a Sh3.4 billion reduction in funding for the State Department for Basic Education, impacting infrastructure projects and school feeding programs.

Additionally, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector also lost Sh800 million intended for various projects.

Despite these financial constraints, Ruto said his administration remains committed to ensuring that JSS teachers receive permanent positions to support the education system effectively.