Public University Semesters Extended Following Lecturers’ Strike.
Public university students will have an extended first semester to compensate for time lost during the recent lecturers’ strike.
This adjustment follows a return-to-work formula outlined in a document seen by Teachers Updates.
Universities have begun issuing revised end-of-semester examination schedules to address academic disruptions caused by the industrial action.
The formula stipulates that university management teams will collaborate with unionized lecturers to recover lost teaching time.
However, the semester extension presents challenges for students who have remained on campus during the strike, incurring living expenses without additional financial support from the government.
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Students will only receive the second installment of their loans at the start of the second semester.
Impact on Students’ Welfare
The welfare of students is a growing concern as many continue to face financial strain. Despite the extended semester, no extra government assistance has been allocated to cover the additional expenses arising from prolonged stays on campus.
Some universities have detailed how they will implement the revised semester timelines. For instance, the University of Nairobi (UoN) plans to resume teaching from November 25, 2024, until December 20, 2024.
After a three-week Christmas break, students will return from January 13 to January 17, 2025, for one week of learning before concluding the semester with exams between January 20 and January 31, 2025.
Other institutions, including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), and Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU), have also extended their semesters, with examinations slated for January or February 2025.
Kenyatta University (KU) has rescheduled its examinations for regular students from November 28 to December 20, 2024, a revision from its original November 21 to December 11 timeline.
Resolving the Strike
The extension comes after weeks of negotiations between the government and the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU).
Lecturers resumed duties on November 25, 2024, following assurances that delayed salaries and allowances would be addressed.
The strike had been triggered by unresolved issues, including the unimplemented 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and deteriorating working conditions.
Under the return-to-work formula, the government committed to implementing the Sh9.7 billion CBA in three tranches. The first tranche of Sh4.3 billion, covering nine months up to June 2025, will be disbursed immediately.
The remaining Sh5.4 billion will follow in two equal installments of Sh2.7 billion each over two years.
Withdrawal of Legal Cases
As part of the agreement, all legal cases arising from the strike will be withdrawn. A technical team at Machakos University is working out the logistics for disbursing the first tranche of funds.
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UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga expressed confidence in the government’s commitment to the agreement, urging lecturers to collaborate with university management to recover lost teaching time and ensure quality education for students.
The deal, signed with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), has set the stage for a phased restoration of normalcy in public universities.
Public University Semesters Extended Following Lecturers’ Strike.
