Junior school intern teachers, through the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), have issued a formal notice of a nationwide strike to push for their confirmation to permanent and pensionable employment.
The teachers say the strike will begin on 27th April 2026, the same day schools are reopening. They have also notified authorities of planned peaceful demonstrations in several counties.
Among the counties that have already issued strike notices are Kilifi, Kakamega, Busia, Kajiado, and Tharaka Nithi.
The teachers are demanding several key issues to be addressed. The main demand is their confirmation into permanent and pensionable terms. They are also raising concerns about challenges with the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical scheme, delays in payment of Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) invigilators, and issues surrounding junior school autonomy.
KUPPET says these problems have affected teachers’ welfare and working conditions, prompting the decision to stage demonstrations.
The strike comes at a time when about 44,000 junior school teachers are serving under internship contracts. These developments follow a Court of Appeal ruling that declared the TSC internship programme invalid, stating that fully trained and registered teachers should not be treated as interns.
TSC first recruited 20,000 intern teachers in January 2025 under one-year contracts, which were later extended to the end of 2026. An additional 24,000 teachers were recruited in January 2026 and deployed to schools under similar internship terms.
The Ministry of Education has acknowledged the court ruling and says it is reviewing its legal and financial implications. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba told the Senate that discussions are ongoing between the Ministry and TSC on how to comply with the ruling.
Meanwhile, TSC has indicated that it is seeking funding to confirm only 20,000 of the intern teachers into permanent positions starting January 2027.
At the same time, KUPPET is also pushing for the payment of pending KNEC exam invigilator allowances. The union has raised concerns over delayed payments dating back to October and is demanding a clear payment plan from the government.
KUPPET National Chairman Omboko Milemba has also urged the government to put in place measures that guarantee timely payment of teachers involved in national examinations going forward.
