Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi has retracted his previous statement that no funds are available to employ Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
During an interview, Mbadi claimed that the government lacked the necessary budget to employ 20,000 teachers. However, he clarified that his statement was based on incomplete information.
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In a follow-up interview with on Sunday, Mbadi admitted his error, acknowledging that there is indeed budgetary provision for converting JSS teachers to permanent positions.
"Those who said there is money for JSS teachers were right. I was wrong," Mbadi stated, emphasizing that his earlier communication was misleading.
He further clarified that while there is a current cash crunch, funds have been allocated for the permanent employment of JSS teachers starting January 2025, with Ksh.22 billion available.
Mbadi explained that his initial comments highlighted the exchequer's financial challenges, particularly concerning teacher salaries between July and December.
However, he reiterated that the budget for permanent employment beginning January 2025 is secure. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been informed of these budgetary provisions.
This development comes amid rising tensions with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET), who have announced a nationwide strike beginning Monday, August 26, 2024. The unions are protesting TSC's failure to address critical issues affecting teachers' welfare following an unsuccessful meeting held on July 16, 2024.
Education CS Julius Migos highlighted the financial challenges, stating that his ministry lacks sufficient funds to meet all educational demands, including implementing phase 2 of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
