An investigative analysis into the economic implications of Kenya’s extended teacher internship programme and why critics say it amounts to structured financial exploitation.
Kenya’s teaching fraternity is grappling with a new economic dilemma following the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) controversial extension of internship contracts from 12 months to 24 months. While the policy has been criticised on legal and labour-rights grounds, a deeper and more uncomfortable question is emerging: Does the internship model function as a form of state-sanctioned financial exploitation?
The dispute escalated when intern teacher Nehemiah Kipkorir filed a court petition challenging the legality of the contract extension. Yet beyond the legal arguments, the case has brought to light the economic realities facing thousands of Junior School intern teachers who feel trapped in a cycle of low wages and prolonged temporary employment.
Intern teachers currently receive a stipend of Sh20,000 — an amount that drops after statutory deductions, leaving some with less than Sh17,000. Despite their limited pay, they shoulder the same responsibilities as fully employed teachers, from delivering lessons and marking assignments to handling assessments and extracurricular activities.
When examined through an economic lens, the programme appears to yield significant savings for the government. By hiring interns instead of permanent employees, TSC avoids offering allowances, medical cover, pension contributions, and house allowances. These savings accumulate to billions annually — a financial incentive critics say explains the programme’s expansion.
However, this cost-saving model may be creating deeper structural issues. Economists warn that when government institutions rely on inexpensive labour for essential services, it sets a precedent that can destabilise the labour market. For the education sector, this could mean normalising a parallel workforce with reduced rights and inferior compensation.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has criticised the programme as “unsustainable and unlawful.” The organisation argues that classifying qualified teachers as interns artificially depresses salaries and suppresses career progression opportunities. “The state is solving a staffing crisis using a financially convenient but ethically questionable method,” their representative noted.
The economic tension is further complicated by Kenya’s massive teacher surplus. With over 300,000 trained teachers unemployed, supply far outweighs demand. This surplus has unintentionally given government bodies leverage to impose less favourable terms, knowing that many jobless graduates will accept almost any offer.
This supply-demand imbalance is a critical factor in understanding why many young teachers feel helpless. They cannot refuse internship offers despite low pay, because opportunities for permanent employment are limited and highly competitive.
One of the most troubling economic factors is inflation. With rising costs of living, escalating rent, transport expenses, and basic commodities becoming more expensive, a stipend of Sh20,000 no longer covers essential needs. Many interns report taking loans, relying on family support, or living in substandard conditions just to sustain their employment.
In rural and hardship areas, where some interns are deployed, the financial burden becomes heavier due to increased transport costs, lack of affordable housing, and limited access to alternative income sources. These teachers often spend a significant portion of their stipend on commuting alone.
Despite the economic strain, President William Ruto recently announced that interns would only be confirmed to permanent and pensionable terms after serving for two uninterrupted years. He framed the model as a strategic solution to Kenya’s teacher shortages, arguing that it is designed to ensure efficiency and stability within Junior School.
However, economic analysts disagree. Many believe that relying on underpaid interns for two years may temporarily ease budgetary pressure, but it also cultivates long-term instability. Low pay reduces morale, increases turnover, and risks lowering professional standards as teachers battle basic survival challenges.
Moreover, the extended internship delays economic empowerment for thousands of young professionals. Instead of entering the workforce as fully salaried public servants, they spend two additional years earning stipends and postponing the financial and social benefits that come with stable employment.
The Kenya Junior School Teachers Association chairperson, James Odhiambo, has expressed concern that the prolonged internship keeps teachers “in a state of economic stagnation,” making it impossible for them to plan for housing, family, or future savings. He argues that while the government saves money upfront, society bears the long-term consequences of a demoralised teaching workforce.
As the court prepares to hear Kipkorir’s petition, the economic argument remains central: Is Kenya solving a staffing problem by creating another — financial insecurity among newly trained teachers?
The ruling could reshape how the country approaches public sector internships and redefine what constitutes fair compensation for professional work. For now, intern teachers continue to carry the weight of a system that depends on their labour but offers little economic security in return.
