Money has been allocated to employ JSS teachers, Mbadi says

Money has been allocated to employ JSS teachers, Mbadi says

The Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning, John Mbadi, has confirmed that the government has allocated funds to hire Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, beginning in January 2025. This announcement comes as a relief to many, following previous statements that had cast doubt on the government’s ability to secure these funds.

Mbadi addressed and refuted claims suggesting that the government was unable to meet this financial commitment. He also issued an apology for any anxiety these earlier claims may have caused among teachers and the general public. The Ministry of National Treasury and Economic Planning reinforced this assurance through a statement on X, confirming that the necessary funds have indeed been allocated.

Last week, however, Mbadi had indicated that the government lacked the financial resources to employ JSS teachers on permanent terms. He explained that a significant budget shortfall, partly due to the fall of the Finance Bill 2024, had created a gap of Sh346 billion, making it challenging to address the needs of JSS teachers.

The government’s initial plan was to employ teachers currently serving internships, with a budget of Sh18.3 billion. However, the Finance Bill’s failure left this plan in jeopardy. Additionally, the Court of Appeal had put on hold plans to convert the positions of 46,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms. This decision came after the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) ordered the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to make the conversion, which the TSC argued had not been budgeted for.

TSC’s legal team stressed that failing to secure the necessary funds to employ these teachers permanently could violate students’ rights as outlined in Articles 43 and 53 of the Constitution. For now, the 46,000 JSS teachers will continue in their roles as interns until the case brought by the TSC is resolved.

The situation remains fluid, but the recent statement from CS Mbadi offers some hope that the government is making strides towards securing permanent employment for JSS teachers, despite the financial hurdles it faces.

Money has been allocated to employ JSS teachers, Mbadi says