Hundreds of junior secondary school teachers in Murang'a County have protested, seeking confirmation in permanent roles before the January 2026 school reopening. The intern teachers, facing expiring contracts and low stipends, criticize the government for budget shortfalls and lack of clarity from the Teachers Service Commission. Local leaders and unions have joined the calls for swift action amid ongoing teacher shortages in public schools.
In Murang'a County, hundreds of junior secondary school (JSS) teachers staged demonstrations on Saturday, November 8, 2025, demanding permanent and pensionable positions ahead of the January 2026 school reopening. These teachers, part of nearly 20,000 recruited nationwide on internship terms in November 2024 and deployed in January 2025, face expiring one-year contracts in December 2025 without government assurances for permanency.
The protesters expressed deep frustration over the uncertainty, which they say has disrupted their lives. With no clear communication from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on the transition process, many fear prolonged insecurity. A key grievance is the Ksh17,000 monthly stipend, deemed insufficient amid rising costs for rent, transport, and essentials in the current economic climate.
Joined by local leaders, civil society activists, and union representatives, the teachers urged immediate government intervention. They criticized the 2025/2026 budget for failing to allocate enough funds for their hiring and faulted the TSC for lacking a roadmap and timelines, warning that another internship year would breach their contracts.
Meanwhile, President William Ruto and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba have pledged to recruit 24,000 new teachers by January 2026 to tackle shortages in public schools. However, details on how these slots will be distributed across JSS, secondary, and primary levels remain unclear. Public schools, especially in remote and marginalized areas, continue to grapple with high student-to-teacher ratios.