KNUT Demands Sh13.3 Billion Before Schools Reopen, Warns of Teachers Strike
Kenya’s education sector is on the brink of disruption as the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has issued a firm ultimatum, threatening to strike just hours before the third term begins.
The union is demanding the immediate release of KSh 13.3 billion, which was promised under the second phase of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
This funding, essential for teachers’ pay, has yet to be disbursed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), despite a prior agreement with President William Ruto in 2022.
KNUT National Chairman Patrick Karinga expressed the union’s frustration, stating that teachers were expecting to receive the payments by July 2024. However, when they went to their banks, they were met with disappointment and financial strain.
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“What we are supposed to get was what we were to be paid in July 2024 which was not there. Our teachers had budgeted for the same but when they went to the bank they are they were somehow embarrassed.” Said Karinga.
The chairman also criticized the TSC for failing to remit teachers’ monthly deductions to essential services like health insurance, leaving many teachers without access to critical medical care.
Regional KNUT chapters across the country are rallying in support of the strike, with local branches already mobilizing members. In West Pokot and Meru, union leaders are urging the government to act swiftly to avoid disrupting the critical third term, which is vital for students’ academic progress.
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As tensions rise, the union has advised parents to keep their children at home until the standoff is resolved. KNUT is calling on President Ruto to intervene and direct the National Treasury to release the necessary funds, warning that the impending strike is inevitable if the situation remains unresolved.
The clock is ticking, and the looming strike could bring the country’s education system to a standstill, affecting thousands of students as they prepare for their final term of the academic year.
KNUT Demands Sh13.3 Billion Before Schools Reopen, Warns of Teachers Strike
