The Teachers Service Commission TSC internship interviews are ongoing throughout the country and is experiencing low applicants turnout. Most intern applicants decided to skip the interviews for fear of missing out on the future TSC teacher recruitments.
TSC had advertised over 10,000 teaching internship vacancies in early October to help address the national teacher shortage.
However, the excise is experiencing rejection from the many jobless teachers who termed the opportunity as a mere waste of time.
TSC Offered Low Pay in Comparison to other Employers
The intern applicants who failed to appear for the interviews accused TSC of offering low pay of Ksh. 15,000 for Secondary School teachers and 10,000 for Primary ones. This, they say, is too low, compared to over Ksh.25,000 offered by other government agencies.
In addition to the low pay, the interns are required to have their personal insurance cover. As if that isn’t enough, TSC said their earnings will be subjected to National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), National Social Security Fund (NSSF), and Higher Education Loans Board HELB deductions.
When asked by Teacher.co.ke why they walked away from the TSC internship Interview, one applicant said, ‘This internship job is a completely raw deal.’
‘Imagine, as BOM teachers, some of us are paid over 20K, completely untaxed’, he continued.
“Why should I go for 10K, and if a TSC Permanent teaching job vacancy comes up within the year, I can’t be allowed to apply?” asked the jobless teacher.
Teaching Job Seekers Angered by 2019 TSC Internship Exercise
Other frustrated jobless teachers went ahead to expressed their sentiments on social media platforms. Here are some of their expressions.
“Bana, tuliteseka, weekend wakijivinjari (humanity students) sisi tuko library tunaandika practical reports, alafu namaliza shule, shetani tu anakuja na hii idea ya internship, nkt. Hata kama watakua absorbed permanently, sitaapply” (“We suffered back in college as others were enjoying their weekends as we were in the libraries writing practical reports. Then, I finish college only for the devil to appear with this intership idea. Even if, TSC will absorb them on permanent basis, I wont apply”) wrote one of the Education science graduates on one of the Whatsapp groups.
Another teacher commented that, “TSC wamepata cheap means ya kupata walimu na cheap salaries“(“TSC has gotten the cheap means of getting teachers at low salaries”)
“Hiyo issue ya intern iliniudhi sana. Eti 15K na unachungwa kuliko kondoo!”(That issue of Intership annoyed me so much. That one gets Ksh. 15,000 and you get monitored more than a sheep!” said a TSC intern applicant who skived the exercise.
Schools Resort to Social Media Campaign to Attract TSC Interns Applicants
As many TSC intern applicants were on the go-slow towards the TSC internship interviews, several schools resorted to trying to attract them through social media or risk missing one.
Using the permanent teachers employed by TSC, schools posted their subject combinations and dates of interviews to lure the intern applicants to at least appear for the exercise.
One of the permanently employed TSC teachers who were part of the recruiting panel in Kisii County said, “Please tell the applicants to turn up for the interview. It’s sad to sit in a panel and end up interviewing nobody”.
Sample Messages How Schools are Attracting TSC Internship Applicants
The following are some of the extracts of how schools were advertising themselves to the TSC Internship Applicants.
S. KeBCiR, [28.11.19 22:19] on Telegram
Vipingo Secondary school in kilifi county had two slots for intern.
1. Kiswaili/ History
2. Maths/ business.
The interview is suppose to be tomorrow. Yet no applicant. If you know anyone with such combination who was shortlisted in any school in kilifi county, kindly refer him/ her to call 0707232348 before tomorrow. Thanks.
Geofrey Osumo, [28.11.19 12:30] on Telegram
Agric bio teacher needed at kathirune secondary school for internship found in north imenti in meru county any teacher bado hana kazi contact me for further directions
Agnetta Kisingu, [25.11.19 10:43] on Telegram
Hello.. Gititu secondary school requires an intern ..Homescience /any..Interviews will be held on 5th Dec at Kirwara Secondary school…
West Bound, [28.11.19 15:55] on Whatsapp
Arabuko Forest High school is urgently in need of a Biology/Maths teacher to start working in January 2020.
He/She should be TSC compliant.
Contact 0721224979.
Emmanuel Abuti, [27.11.19 20:43] on Whatsapp
[In reply to Justine Munai]
Morning all anybody who has a relative or friend looking for teaching opportunity (Kiswahili/History) can apply directly to Buruburu Girls High School. Interviews will be on Thursday 29th November, 2019 sambaza
How TSC Advertised the Over 10,000 Internship Vacancies
Two months ago The Teachers Service Commission had invited applications from qualified teachers to take up the 10,300 internship vacancies. Primary schools had 4,300 open positions whereas 6,000 were for Secondary Schools.
Plenty of jobless teachers made their online applications through TSC Teachers Recruitment Portal and the process ended in late October 2019.
Eligibility for TSC Internship
TSC had set the following conditions to be met for applicants for the TSC intership teaching vacancies.
- Be Kenyan Citizen;
- Have original academic and professional certificates;
- Be unemployed and has not previously been employed by the Teachers Service Commission on permanent terms;
- Registered as a Teacher by TSC
- For Primary Schools, one to be a holder of a P1 certificate and at least a Diploma in Education for those applying for Secondary School vacancies.
- Applicant should be prepared to be posted to any public educational institution in Kenya as deemed by TSC;
- Posses a Personal Accident Insurance to cater for the entire period.
Additionally, shortlisted intern applicants shall produce:
- Certificate of Good Conduct;
- National Identity Card (ID) or copy of passport and a copy of KRA PIN Certificate;
- Two (2) coloured passport size photographs;
- TSC Registration Certificate.
The TSC internship employment job is expected to last for 12 months.
Its better to be a local farmer than a graduate in kenya
Something should be done to diginify the teaching profession
TSC should do something…if some schools are not receiving any application then should allow those who didn’t access the website like me to apply… I really need that internship.
Very true how can I go for a degree program just to be given peanuts by TSC,and maybe I have my brothers, family and sisters to help them see the light too,15k for undergraduate Ni matusi hakika.
This nonsense started from medical profession when some idiots told counties to employ them on contract basis.
I applied for the interns but seemingly transparency will be a big issue, some hr.claimed they alrdy have their teachers
Imagine a teacher from Meru is brought to Kisii; earning 15k taxable plus other deductions i.e NHIF,NSSF.He/she rents a house of 5k,he/she has a family to feed,take children to school too.Whoever come up with the 15k should go back to a mathematics class.This intern as I think is also new plan to employ teachers on contract basis My fellow graduates,reject it;scum
TSC shld be serious,what about diploma salary ?!is it undergraduate who is getting 15k or a diploma holder ?!!