The Public Service Commission (PSC) has begun reviewing its Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) Policy to expand eligibility and include graduates from diploma programmes as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
The review was announced on Tuesday, August 4, by PSC Chairperson Francis Meja during a courtesy visit to Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabine Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya.
Meja said the commission is also seeking to improve the overall impact of the internship programme by enhancing opportunities available to participants beyond their placement period.
"The focus should now shift to what happens during and after the PSIP programme. A revamped programme will bring the private sector on board, provide entrepreneurship training, and introduce a savings scheme for interns," he said.
Oparanya, in his remarks, advocated for a unified internship framework across government institutions to improve oversight, monitoring and consistency in the implementation of the programme.
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"We all serve the same government. The internship programme should be centralised to ensure quality control and standardisation. All interns should receive the same benefits across the board," he stated.
This development comes days after President William Ruto asked PSC to expand its annual internship programme.
Speaking following a meeting with a delegation from PSC, Ruto explained that the expansion would provide workplace experience to students who have completed their studies in colleges and universities.
He added that the internship program will also perfect performance contracting to measure the impact of public servants in service to Kenyans.
Meja briefed Ruto on the measures PSC is taking to prepare for its role in the country's transition into a first-world economy, including the digitisation of its services.
Ruto stated that digitalisation must be institutionalised at the PSC in shifting the organisation away from manual and paper-heavy systems towards data-driven and automated models to increase efficiency and create value.
"This is urgent and necessary; otherwise, the PSC is in danger of becoming obsolete and consequently unable to effectively serve Kenya and Kenyans," he stated.
