Murang’a: Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has appealed to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education to take immediate action on pressing education issues, beginning with the fate of Junior Secondary School (JSS) interns whose contracts expire next month. Speaking during a church service in Murang’a, Nyoro asked TSC to confirm all 20,000 JSS interns by January, noting that they have shouldered much of the workload since the programme’s rollout. He said the teachers should be placed on permanent and pensionable terms to ensure stability in learning when schools reopen.

According to Kenya News Agency, Nyoro stressed the importance of the JSS interns in implementing Competency Based Education and urged that they should not be ignored. He suggested using Article 223 to bridge financial gaps, promising that MPs were ready to support any supplementary budget needed to secure the teachers’ employment. Nyoro also addressed concerns about a proposed reduction in capitation for secondary school learners, warning that this would result in parents having to pay an additional Sh9,300 in fees, excluding food costs. He emphasized that no child should be denied education due to financial constraints, advocating for the protection of free basic education.

The MP further highlighted the urgent need for government intervention regarding challenges faced by public university lecturers, whose recent strike has surpassed 40 days due to a Sh7 billion debt owed to universities. The strike has disrupted learning for thousands of students across the country. Nyoro called for a refocus on priorities to ensure education remains a top investment and urged relevant government agencies to act swiftly, stating that the future of learners at all levels depends on timely and decisive action.