President William Ruto has announced that 20,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers who have served for two years under contract or internship terms will transition to permanent and pensionable employment starting January 2027.
The Head of State made the commitment on Monday, October 5, 2026, while speaking at the World Teachers’ Day celebrations at Kasarani in Nairobi. He said this year’s budget has set aside KSh 4.9 billion to facilitate the move.
“This year’s budget also provides 4.9 billion shillings to move 20,000 contract teachers who have served for two years to permanent and pensionable terms from January 2027,” Ruto stated.
The announcement offers long-awaited job security to thousands of educators who have been working under temporary arrangements while supporting the rollout of Junior Secondary under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Many of these teachers have been earning lower stipends without full benefits, pension contributions, or clear career progression pathways.
Part of a Broader Teacher
Workforce Expansion
Ruto placed the confirmation of the 20,000 teachers within the context of what he described as the largest expansion of Kenya’s teaching force in the country’s history. He noted that his administration has recruited 100,000 teachers over the past four years. An additional 20,000 are expected to be hired before the end of 2026, bringing the total to 120,000 by December.
The President also directed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to expand this year’s promotion exercise from the advertised 34,016 slots to 50,000 opportunities. He said the government would provide the necessary resources for the increased promotions.
In addition, Ruto reported progress on the review of teachers’ Career Progression Guidelines. He said consultations between the TSC and teachers’ unions have been completed and the guidelines are awaiting approval by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), with the process expected to conclude within two weeks.
Context of the Internship Policy
The government’s policy has been that teachers engaged as interns or on contract serve for a maximum of two years before automatic transition to permanent and pensionable terms. The January 2027 date aligns with this framework for the cohort that has completed or is completing the required period of service.
Earlier in the year, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi had indicated in the budget that KSh 4.9 billion was allocated for the conversion of 20,000 intern teachers from January 2027, with further provisions planned for other cohorts later in 2027.
What This Means for Teachers and Schools
Moving to permanent and pensionable terms will give the affected teachers full salary scales, medical cover under the teachers’ scheme, pension contributions, and eligibility for promotions and other career benefits. For schools, the change is expected to improve staff retention and stability at the Junior Secondary level, which has faced challenges related to high teacher turnover and shortages since its introduction.
The announcement comes as the government continues efforts to close the teacher deficit it inherited and to support the successful implementation of CBC across primary and junior secondary levels.
Teachers and education stakeholders will be watching closely for the operational details from the Teachers Service Commission on how the transition process will be rolled out in the coming months
