Public Service Commission (PSC) has been given an additional 1 billion to cater for the hiring of over 3000 interns. PSC will start hiring in August with interns expected to be posted to their work stations by mid-September. The interns are entitled to a Sh25000 monthly pay which will enable them to cover basic expenses such as transport and lunch.
PSC chairman Stephen Kirogo told the Parliamentary Committee on National Cohesion about the recruitment guidelines that PSC is currently undertaking. Public institutions are expected to conform to the Internship Policy and Guidelines drafted in October 2016.
The interns will most likely replace the 60,000 public servants set to retire in the next three years. The move is expected to lower the huge wage bill in the country.
Parliament had earlier this year revised PSC budget to include a Sh1 billion to account for the hiring of interns. The idea to hire interns was proposed by Kimilili member of parliament Didmus Barasa. The lawmaker sought to amend the Employment Act no.1 of 2017 to provide for absorption of diploma and graduate interns for a Sh25000 monthly stipend. In addition, the legislator proposed that all employers have at least five percent of their workforce made up of paid interns.
Fresh graduates have a hard time getting into formal employment due to lack of skills needed in the labor market.
Data from Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that only 78400 new formal jobs were created in 2018 compared to 114,400 in 2017 which was a six year low. Mr. Kirogo added,” our goal is to recruit at least 30 interns per constituency in all the 290 constituencies”
