JSS teachers' strike disrupts schooling

JSS interns in Nairobi demonstrate over their confirmation by TSC on May 5, 2026. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Learning in junior secondary schools remains disrupted as the teachers’ strike enters its second week, with thousands of intern tutors staying away from class while pressing for confirmation, better pay and improved conditions.

The standoff is increasingly affecting delivery of lessons under the competency-based curriculum, with schools struggling to maintain normal timetables in the absence of teachers handling core subjects.

During a peaceful protest in Nairobi, intern teachers said the situation had reached a breaking point, blaming the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the government for failing to resolve long-standing concerns over employment terms.

Mark Wambua, speaking on behalf of Nairobi intern teachers, said many had served for over a year under internship despite carrying full teaching loads. “We have been fighting. Internship is illegal. We are saying it is not possible to continue like this. We are on the street because we cannot accept this level of impunity,” he said.

Teachers said the continued uncertainty has left many financially strained and unable to cope with the cost of living, particularly in urban areas. “How can you pay a teacher Sh17,000 and expect them to survive in Nairobi? We are demanding confirmation of all intern teachers immediately,” Richard, an intern teacher, said.

Rodgers Opil, chairman of Nairobi intern teachers, said the dispute reflects deeper concerns over teacher welfare, warning that prolonged delays are undermining morale and effectiveness in schools. “We cannot continue talking about salaries alone while ignoring the welfare of teachers. You cannot assign heavy workloads and still pay Sh17,000. That is not fair,” he said.

The teachers warned that the conditions under which they are working are affecting their mental wellbeing and, by extension, the quality of education being delivered. “There is no person who can go to work while not mentally stable. Many teachers are psychologically strained,” one protester said.

They also criticised ongoing legal battles involving the TSC, accusing the commission of using court processes to delay implementation of decisions that would regularise their employment.

As the strike drags on, teachers warned that disruptions in schools will persist unless urgent action is taken.