Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has confirmed that 20,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers will be moved to permanent and pensionable employment from January 1, 2027.
Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, October 7, Ogamba said the National Treasury had set aside KSh4.9 billion in the 2026/27 financial year to fund the positions.
“In the financial year of 2026/2027, the National Treasury has provided funding for the recruitment of 20,000 teachers for junior schools on permanent and pensionable terms, effective January 1, 2027,” Ogamba said.
The announcement comes two days after President William Ruto said the government would absorb 20,000 contract teachers into permanent and pensionable employment from January next year.
Ogamba said the government was also continuing to meet its obligations to the teachers currently serving as interns, including paying their monthly stipends.
He said the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) would continue complying with court orders on the internship programme as they work on longer-term measures to address teacher shortages in Junior Secondary Schools.
The CS said another 24,000 intern teachers would also be absorbed into permanent and pensionable employment gradually.
However, he noted that the transition would depend on the availability of funds.
“We will continue to engage the National Treasury and other stakeholders with a view to securing additional resources to facilitate the gradual absorption of the remaining 24,000 intern teachers into permanent and pensionable service,” Ogamba said.
The 24,000 teachers are expected to be considered for permanent employment after the first group is absorbed.
Earlier this year, Treasury CS John Mbadi told Parliament that the government was targeting July 2027 to move the 24,000 interns to permanent terms.
Apart from absorbing the 20,000 interns, President Ruto also announced plans to recruit an additional 20,000 teachers before the end of 2026.