JSS teachers in Nairobi protest pushing for permanent and pensionable letters

By Branice Ojiambo

The union representatives of the Junior Secondary Schools teachers are asking the CEO of the Teachers Service Commission to change things for better and to provide teachers with a permanent employment letters as the government has promised in that issue.

The rally infused with the red color and everyone holding a sign, commenced outside the TSC offices along Nairobi's Kilindini Road.

 "For us, there was no looking back after the termination of our contract which happened when the junior secondary schools were introduced in 2023, but now over a year later we are still in contract limbo. Due a promise from the government that TSC will retain us permanently pledged after two years, TSC need to continue using us this way."  said Peter Mbugua who was one of the protesters.

To take effect, the junior secondary teachers were employed from the year 2023 on two-year contract, incidences in which competency based curriculum reforms that were introduced started the junior secondary schools nationwide. Their contracts have their last day on Dec. 31.

Esther Wanjiku, a trade unionist too agreed and asked: "We have been doing all our work well to the transition of the CBC. Is this the best reward for our efforts- still the charging, we are being paid temporarily?"

The protesters have given a word to TSC CEO Nancy Macharia that they will keep demonstrating in front of government until the commission is ready to give roadmap and timetable with full honesty in making employment of event attendants permanent.

"Let us assemble ourselves and move a meeting summoning Director Macharia to hear us out and pave way forward by employing us permanently in TSC as planned by our preceding bosses," said Jared Omondi, teachers' representative.

The TSC has not yet released any statement in response to the philanthropic act. However, it has communicated its earlier plans to review the teaching support staffs' employment status before their contracts expire this July.