President William Ruto now says the recruitment of additional teachers this year will not proceed as earlier planned.
Ruto said the decision has been necessitated by budgetary constraints as a result of the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024.
“I had a plan to employ 20, 000 teachers this year but I am suspending it until next year when we can reassess how our economy is doing,” said Ruto.
He, however, reassured the 46, 000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers that they would be confirmed as agreed.
“I want to tell all JSS teachers that despite the challenges we have in the Finance bill, we are going to make sure that we confirm them this year,” he said.
According to the head of state, there was a need for the teachers to teach “knowing that as we agreed they will serve under permanent and pensionable terms"
The government has planned to fully employ the JSS teachers who are currently in internships at a cost of Sh18.3 billion.
The fall of the bill had created a budget hole of Sh346 billion but Ruto said the government would not borrow the whole amount but Sh169 billion.
Ruto made the remarks Wednesday when he officially opened the Kimuka power substation in Kajiado West.
Some 20, 000 additional households in Kajiado, he said, will be connected to the power grid this year.
