The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has officially begun issuing invitation messages to applicants who applied for the 24,000 Junior School (JSS) intern teaching positions. The recruitment, initially advertised in September, was temporarily halted due to a clash with national examinations and assessment schedules.
Unemployed teachers who applied for the positions have now started receiving SMS notifications directing them to attend the document verification exercise, which will run from 3rd to 11th December 2025. Those who successfully complete the verification process will proceed to interviews and eventually sign internship contracts.
Both President William Ruto and Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba have previously confirmed that the recruited teachers will be deployed to schools in early January 2026. The TSC internship programme is considered a key pathway to permanent and pensionable (PnP) employment, with teachers who complete internship service receiving an additional 50 marks during PnP recruitment.
Government Targets 100,000 Newly Hired Teachers in Three Years
CS Ogamba stated that the recruitment will raise the total number of newly employed teachers to 100,000, marking a major milestone in the government’s education reform agenda.
“Seventy-six thousand teachers have already been employed, and 24,000 more will be employed by January 2026,” he said.
Following the verification process, interns will sign contracts and subsequently be deployed to junior secondary schools.
However, President Ruto recently emphasized that intern teachers will be required to serve for two years before transitioning to permanent terms.
Internship Stipend and Contract Duration
Intern teachers are currently paid a stipend of Ksh 20,000, with a net payout of approximately Ksh 17,000 after statutory deductions including SHIF, Housing Levy, and NSSF.
There are currently 20,000 JSS intern teachers on the TSC payroll whose contracts end on 31st December 2025. TSC plans to renew their contracts for an additional year in line with the Kenya Kwanza education policy.
CS Ogamba further revealed that an additional 16,000 teachers will be recruited later in 2026 to address the ongoing staffing gaps in junior schools.
Digital Recruitment and Priority for STEM Teachers
TSC Chair Dr. Jamleck Muturi praised the digital transformation of the process, stating:
“Registration of teachers has been automated, and recruitment is now fully online. By January, the 24,000 teachers will be in class.”
TSC has received more than 100,000 applications for the 24,000 internship slots. The employment will be on a one-year contract, running from 1st January to 31st December 2026.
The TSC scoring system prioritizes teachers in STEM and technical subjects, followed by languages. The score allocation is as follows:
| Category | Awarded Marks |
|---|---|
| STEM combinations (Biology/Chemistry/Physics + other) | 65 marks |
| Mathematics + any non-science subject | 55 marks |
| Technical & Creative Arts subjects (e.g. Home Science, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Music, Art & Design, PE) | 40 marks |
| Languages (English, Kiswahili, French, German, Arabic, Mandarin + other) | 25 marks |
| Arts + Humanities combinations (History, Geography, CRE, Life Skills, etc.) | 5 marks |
This lower scoring has sparked criticism from arts and humanities teachers, who have termed the score sheet discriminatory, although TSC maintains that Kenya faces a severe shortage of science teachers and must prioritize critical skills.
Required Documents for Verification
Shortlisted applicants must present both original and clear photocopies of the following:
- National ID card
- TSC registration certificate
- Diploma/Degree certificate and transcripts
- KCSE certificate (including repeat attempt slips if applicable)
- KCPE certificate (including repeat attempt slips if applicable)
- Primary and secondary school leaving certificates
- NCPWD card (if applicable)
- Sworn affidavit for name discrepancies
- KNEC certification of results (if necessary)
The ongoing recruitment aligns with the government’s education transformation agenda, aimed at strengthening teacher capacity, digital integration, and curriculum delivery.