Government to Forfeit Employment of 46,000 JSS Teachers, Confirms Machogu
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has confirmed that the government will forfeit the employment of 46,000 junior secondary school intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms due to budgetary constraints.
This decision comes in the wake of the rejection of the 2024 Finance Bill, which had included provisions for these employment changes.
The government’s decision is a significant setback for the graduate teachers hired as interns in 2019. These teachers were expecting to transition to permanent and pensionable positions, a promise made by President William Ruto.
The President had committed to converting the intern positions and hiring an additional 20,000 teachers if the Finance Bill was passed.
Budgetary Constraints and Prioritization
Speaking at the fourth annual Kenya Secondary Heads Association National Delegates Conference in Mombasa, CS Machogu stated that the ministry is now forced to reassess its priorities due to the rejected financial budget.
The budget cuts have led to the allocation for the employment of the 46,000 junior secondary teachers being removed.
CS Machogu emphasized the need to focus on critical priorities, stating that the employment of junior secondary school teachers on a permanent and pensionable basis is no longer feasible under the current budget constraints.
The rejection of the 2024 Finance Bill by President Ruto, following opposition from youthful Kenyans who deemed it punitive, has necessitated budgetary adjustments.
Among the items affected by these cuts is the funding for confirming the employment status of junior secondary school teachers.
Current Status and Future Plans
Despite the challenges, CS Machogu assured that the status quo regarding junior secondary school venues will remain unchanged.
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This decision comes despite demands from secondary school principals for junior secondary students to be hosted in secondary schools to utilize existing facilities.
Additionally, the government has allocated Ksh 3.5 billion for the construction of classrooms in primary schools across the country as part of its ongoing efforts to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
Government to Forfeit Employment of 46,000 JSS Teachers, Confirms Machogu
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