The nearly 60,000 teachers hired by the Teachers Service Commission as interns may force their employer to pay them full salary for the period served.

This emerged yesterday after the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) found the commission violated their right to fair labour practice by giving them internship positions while they were qualified and possess teaching licences.

But the decision also throws into limbo the fate of Junior Secondary Schools just two weeks before schools reopen for the second term. The teachers have been the backbone of the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum at the Junior Secondary School.

In his ruling, Justice Byrum Ongaya ruled that the commission cannot hire or engage or hire student-teachers or interns as its mandate is limited to employing only those qualified and registered.

The programme was introduced to plug teacher shortage that plagued schools and doubled as a crash programme to provide teachers for Junior Secondary Schools.

However, the ruling now adds to the list of troubles that have engulfed the internship programme including major opposition to the extension of the programme.
What next for TSC?

Its a matter of wait and see.