New Attendance Directives for JSS Interns
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has issued a directive requiring the daily tracking of attendance for Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers. This measure is being introduced as schools reopen for the second term, coinciding with a nationwide boycott by the interns.
An internal memorandum from Antonina Lentoijoni, the TSC Director of Staffing, instructs county and regional directors to begin compiling daily attendance records. To facilitate this, the commission has provided a standardized reporting template that all school headteachers must use. The collected data is to be submitted to TSC headquarters on a daily basis.
Reporting Template Requirements
The memorandum outlines that the attendance data must be submitted in a specific, two-part format designed to aid in the administration of JSS intern teachers:
- Part One: An itemized list of intern teachers who are absent from work, including the documented reasons for their absence, such as official assignments, sick leave, or unauthorized leave.
- Part Two: A statistical daily summary that categorizes the total number of present and absent intern teachers across each county.
Headteachers are expected to ensure that all submitted data is both timely and accurate.
Background of the Strike
The implementation of this attendance monitoring system occurs alongside ongoing protests by JSS intern teachers, who are withholding their services to advocate for permanent employment contracts. The tracking of unauthorized absences is largely viewed as a preparatory measure for potential administrative proceedings by the commission.