School Reopening: Parents Confused Over Looming Teachers Strike
The upcoming teachers‘ industrial strike, scheduled for August 26th, has left parents and teachers in a state of confusion, raising concerns about the impact on the school curriculum, particularly for Grade Six candidates.
The strike is expected to disrupt preparations for exams, with fears that the absence of teachers will significantly hinder the students’ performance.
In a recent meeting between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teachers’ unions, including KNUT and KUPPET, the discussions failed to resolve the ongoing dispute.
Teachers have put forth several demands, including the promotion of 130,000 stagnant teachers, the allocation of a budget for teachers’ medical schemes according to current job group limits, and the employment of 46,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Additionally, they have called for the hiring of 20,000 new teachers for Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and the remittance of all third-party deductions such as bank loans and SACCO contributions.
The unions are also pushing for the TSC to initiate discussions for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the period 2025-2029.
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Amidst the escalating tensions, Principal Secretary for Education, Belio Kipsang, has urged teachers to explore alternative methods of resolving conflicts.
He emphasized the importance of educators playing a constructive role in shaping the future, suggesting that they should seek different perspectives to bring about positive change.
As the strike looms, the education sector faces uncertainty, with the possibility of significant disruptions in schools across the country.
Teachers Advice to Parents
Union officials from various counties, including Kitui and Homa Bay, have urged parents to keep their children at home. They emphasized that no teacher would report for duty on Monday if the government did not meet their demands.
Simon Nding’o, the executive secretary of the Knut Kitui branch, stated that teachers would not be held accountable for children who attend school during the strike.
He warned parents that sending their children to school would be at their own risk, as the safety of students could not be guaranteed without teachers present.
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Teachers’ Demands
The unions have several key demands:
- Full implementation of the 2021-2025 CBA.
- Promotion of 130,000 stagnated teachers.
- Allocation of Sh15 billion for medical cover.
- Release of July 2024 emoluments.
- Remittance of all loans and NSSF deductions to statutory bodies, which have been deducted by the commission but not handed over to third-party agents, including banks, since June 2024.
School Reopening: Parents Confused Over Looming Teachers Strike
