Only graduates with at least a bachelor’s degree will be eligible for the allowance. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
The stipend will see public organisations conform to the Internship Policy and Guidelines released early this year.
Interns hired by government organisations will now earn a Sh25,000 monthly stipend, according to a new policy.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) in a circular issued on October 13 says the stipend will see public organisations conform to the Internship Policy and Guidelines released early this year.
The stipend will come as a relief to interns in government bodies who, in most cases, are not paid to cover their basic expenses like transport and lunch leaving them to depend on relatives and friends.
“Following the release of the policy the commission has, with effect from the date of this circular, approved the payment of a stipend to interns; holders of at least a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university — Sh25,000 per month,” the circular says.
“The purpose of the policy is to ensure that management of internship programmes in such organisations is appropriate and in line with best practices found elsewhere in the world.”
The PSC has previously said that supporting interns with a stipend will encourage youth from poor backgrounds and disadvantaged areas who may otherwise miss to take up such opportunities.
Interns who leave their duty station on assignment will be entitled to a daily allowance (per diem) of Sh4,000 to cater for their expenses.
The government has thousands of institutions that absorb interns and the introduction of the payment will constitute a substantial budget item.
“These funds will be made available through regular budgetary allocations so as to ensure ministries, departments and agencies engage interns every financial year,” the PSC said earlier in the year.
A majority of interns will be engaged for a maximum three months except those whose internship period is governed by their professional or registration bodies.
The stipends will come hand in hand with competitive recruitment for internship positions as outlined in the policy.
This is a shift from the current scenario where government departments and agencies independently dish out internship slots, creating room for abuse and favouritism.
The programme will be open to unemployed Kenyan graduates from training institutions who have completed their degrees courses and have not been exposed to work experience related to their area of study.
Internship stipend in the private sector varies depending on each organisation’s policies.
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