The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has raised serious concerns over the ongoing delays in teacher promotions and the continued engagement of teachers under internship contracts, warning that the situation is affecting thousands of educators nationwide.
In an interview with Spice FM on Tuesday, KUPPET Chairperson Omboko Milemba said teacher promotions have been largely stagnant since 2017–2018, leaving many educators in the same positions for years.
He further revealed that nearly 20,000 teachers on internship agreements are due to see their contracts expire this November and need to be absorbed on permanent and pensionable terms.
“TSC, by law, does not have the authority or powers to employ teachers as interns. The law we passed in Naivasha clearly requires that teachers be employed on a permanent and pensionable basis. We are strongly advocating that internships be removed. Employment should be permanent and pensionable, exactly as the law provides,” said Milemba.
He criticised the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for persisting with the internship system, describing it as a waste of teacher potential and a violation of the law.
Milemba said he will petition Parliament to address these issues, stressing that the matter requires urgent attention to prevent further disruptions in the education sector.
“Currently, we have 20,000 teachers whose contracts are expiring this November, and a budget must be created to address this. On Thursday, God willing, I will be petitioning Parliament,” he said.
The petition, according to Milemba, will focus on three pressing concerns: stalled promotions, the ending contracts of intern teachers, and the unresolved case of a teacher from Lumakanda whose body was found mutilated.
He added that while only 25,000 teachers are promoted each year, the number falls short of the 50,000 promised by President William Ruto, leaving many teachers stuck in the same rank for prolonged periods.
“Promotions are one of the biggest challenges for teachers in this country because they completely stopped in 2017–2018,” he emphasised.
The union is developing a structured plan with the National assembly Education Committeeto ensure promotions are carried out on time and adequate funds are allocated to meet government targets.
Milemba also pointed to delays in the release of capitation funds, noting that some schools went through the entire third term without receiving necessary finances due to slow verification procedures.
He urged the ministry of education to ensure timely disbursement of funds to schools and teachers to prevent further disruptions in learning.
