KNUT Criticizes TSC Promotion System, Advocates Higher Salaries for Diploma-Trained Teachers.
Dan Aloo, the National Trustee for the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), voiced strong criticism at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) regarding the current system for teacher promotions, particularly for educators in coastal regions like Taita Taveta.
Aloo argued that teachers in these areas are not receiving fair treatment compared to their counterparts in other regions.
He noted that promotion policies appear to be discriminatory, with educators in some places receiving allowances ranging from Sh. 10,000 to Sh. 5,000, while teachers in coastal areas have to share a much lower amount of Sh. 4,000.
He emphasized the need for more equitable promotion opportunities and benefits for teachers in all regions.
Advocacy for Higher Salaries for Diploma-Trained Teachers
Aloo called for a substantial increase in the starting salaries for the lowest-paid teachers, suggesting a starting salary of Sh. 100,000 for diploma-trained educators.
He argued that the current pay scale does not reflect the qualifications and training that teachers have undergone, leaving many underpaid and demoralized.
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The proposal was put forward as part of the union’s broader strategy to uplift the financial status of teachers and ensure fair compensation for their work.
Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) 2025-2029 Goals
Discussing the upcoming 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Aloo outlined the union’s commitment to ensuring all teachers start at higher pay grades.
He insisted that diploma-trained teachers should no longer be placed in the lower job groups such as C1, C2, or C3, which he argued were more suited for untrained personnel.
Aloo maintained that placing trained teachers in these lower categories undermines their qualifications and devalues their professional status.
The union’s aim for the new CBA is to secure better pay scales that reflect teachers’ skills and experience.
“We don’t want C1, C2, and C3. Those are job groups for those who are not trained. Teachers are trained,” he noted.
Attendance and Participation
The AGM was attended by KNUT officials from various counties within the coastal region, including representatives from Kinango, Kilindini, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River, Kwale, Msambweni, Malindi, and Kaloleni.
The only branch absent was Lamu, which sent apologies for not attending. The gathering provided a platform for union officials to discuss critical issues affecting teachers and to strategize on how to address them moving forward.
In summary, Aloo’s remarks highlighted the need for reforms in the promotion system to ensure fairness for all teachers, especially those in marginalized regions.
His call for salary revisions and a higher starting pay for diploma-trained teachers is part of a broader effort to improve teachers’ welfare and working conditions across Kenya.
KNUT Criticizes TSC Promotion System, Advocates Higher Salaries for Diploma-Trained Teachers.
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