Mbadi: Budget constraints force government to delay permanent hiring of JSS teachers

The government has admitted that the exchequer doesn't have the finances to permanently employ 20,000 Junior Secondary School teachers (JSS).

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi on Thursday disclosed that there was a shortfall of Sh13 billion that was reduced in the budget estimates.

"We don't have resources for recruiting JSS teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, and we do not have the resources for the additional 20,000 JSS teachers that was reduced in the estimates," he said during an interview at Citizen TV.

The CS explained that money for teachers' salary adjustments was a struggle to raise and that the year has been marred with challenges causing financial constraints.

"There is no money available for the conversation of JSS teachers unless we make budget adjustments, which we don't have space for," Mbadi noted.

In June 2024, the Court of Appeal halted plans to hire 46,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable contracts.

Justices Asike Makhandia, Sankale Ole Kantai and Ngenye Macharia suspended the orders issued by the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) requiring the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to convert the internship to permanent and pensionable terms.

The interns were to continue working as interns until the case filed by the Nancy Macharia-led commission was heard and determined.

TSC is currently facing a significant financial shortfall of Sh3.2 billion in its effort to transition over 46,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable positions.

The government allocated Sh13.4 billion for this financial year.

Despite being a substantial sum, this proposal couldn't fully cover the TSC's financial needs.

The commission had originally estimated that Sh16.6 billion would be needed to complete the conversion, resulting in a substantial funding gap.

The government had planned to employ teachers who are currently on internships at a budget of Sh18.3 billion.

The fall of the Finance Bill 2024 created a budget hole of Sh346 billion.