The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has issued a directive affecting teachers employed on internship term.
Early January this year, the Teachers Service Commission posted a total of 1,995 intern teachers to schools.
TSC also renewed internship contract for 4,005 teachers whose one year term ended in December 2021. This brought the total number of intern teachers to 6,000.
However most intern teachers missed their January pay after late submission of the casualty returns and were hopeful of getting paid in February.
By end of February most intern teachers were paid their stipend for one month. The Commission is expected to pay the remaining month together with the March salary.
Equity bank, Family bank, Cooperative bank, National bank, KCB bank and Sacco’s have already paid teachers salaries.
TSC has made available payslips on the online platform for teachers to view, download and use. However only those registered on the T-Pay can access the document.
The Commission has directed intern teachers not registered on the T-Pay to contact their TSC ICT county officers for immediate registration.
By being registered the intern teachers will be able to view their payslip online to check on amount paid and total deductions.
The payslips can also help intern teachers to secure a loan with Sacco’s and commercial banks as well as micro finances.
The teacher interns posted in January is as a result of TSC advert of 1,995 internship posts in September 2021 where 1,038 posts went to primary schools and 957 posts to secondary schools.
TSC said the recruitment of the intern teachers is in support of the Governments initiative to develop a pool of young talents for the Kenyan Labour Market.
“TSC is determined to see that teachers are properly staffed. It is working with Ministry of Education to ensure enough teachers are provided by recruiting 5,000 teachers every year and also by engaging intern teachers,” reads a section of the TSC internship policy.
Sadly the recruited intern teachers missed their January pay. TSC said payment for intern teachers are made earlier depending on the date they were received in their new station.
School heads upon receiving the intern teachers are required to fill and submit online casualty that will speed the payment process.
Delay in submitting online casualty form on time derails the Commission effort to effect payment.
However TSC sources say the intern teachers attached to both primary and secondary schools should expect their stipend for January and February to be paid on Friday 25th February 2022.
The teachers will also have their payslips made available on the TSC T-Pay portal to show the total earning plus deductions.
Interns attached to primary schools get a monthly stipend of Kshs. 15,000/= while those in secondary schools get Kshs. 20,000/=.
In the year 2020 recruitment of teachers on permanent terms TSC failed to automatically confirm intern teachers, instead it awarded them ten marks for serving under internship.
However in the new score sheet it released to guide recruitment of teachers in July 2021, TSC directed 30 marks to be awarded to applicants who will provide “evidence of internship service”.
There are still complains by some teachers on why intern teachers should be awarded 30 marks when some have served for less than two months under internship.
Some years ago TSC used to bar intern teachers from applying for permanent and pensionable jobs once under internship.
The teachers were only allowed to apply after finishing their contract. However this has changed.
