Nairobi — Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi now says there is money available to employ Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.

In what appeared to be a U-turn from his previous statement where he stated that the exchequer has no money to employ the 20,000 teachers, Mbadi indicated that he was ill informed.

"Those who are saying there is money in the budget for JSS teachers are right. I am wrong and there is nothing with saying I am wrong," he said.

Mbadi argued that he was pointing out to the existing cash crunch in the exchequer that would deny the teachers salaries for July to December.

He asserted that the conversion to permanent terms, set to be effected on January 2025, has already been budgeted for.

"What I should have made clear is that there is money in the budget for conversion of JSS teachers to permanent and pensionable from January 2025 and there is Sh22 billion available," he noted.

"I actually implied that there would be no money to pay them from July to December but I should have been very clear that there is money in the budget from January."

Mbadi further stated that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has also been apprised of the changes.

The National Treasury also issued a statement on the issue.

"The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning Hon John Mbadi assures Kenyans that funds have been allocated by the government to employ Junior Secondary School teachers on permanent and pensionable terms starting Jan 2025."

"The CS also refuted circulating claims suggesting otherwise and apologized for any anxiety caused," a post on X said.