As the event-packed third term begins, the two main teachers' unions are split over a planned strike that was scheduled to begin on Monday to coincide with the reopening of schools.
A rift emerged on Sunday evening when the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) withdrew its notice of a strike just hours after the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) had voted to endorse the job boycott.
Both lobbies had issued a notices for industrial action set to begin on Monday in protest over pay, delayed promotions and working conditions among other grievances.
However, after a closed-door meeting of more than five hours of at Knut headquarters in Nairobi, Knut National Executive Council resolved to shred its notice.
Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu said their decision was informed by the need to give their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), time to address their “major demands”.
TSC, he said, had made notable progress on key demands and urged teachers to report back to school without fail.
“The NEC has therefore today, August 25, 2024, agreed to withdraw the strike action notice which was elapsing midnight August, 25 2024 since we have started addressing the remaining matters administratively,” he said.
The cancellation of the job boycott, he said, was partly because TSC had promoted 39 percent of the 130,000 teachers who have been stagnant in their positions for a decade.
“During the deliberations, the five demands were thoroughly discussed, and notable progress was made. Specifically, regarding teacher promotions, the commission has already advanced 51,232 teachers through competitive interviews, with the process continuing actively,” he said.
Additionally, he noted that third-party deductions, which were pending, had been remitted to commercial banks, teachers' saccos, investment schemes, and other legal obligations. TSC affirmed that teachers would continue to access services at both public and private hospitals.
On the second phase of the 2021-25 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Knut said TSC effected it in July and was factored in their salaries in arrears for August 2024.
“This gives room for the commencement of the CBA 2025/2029 cycle in respect to Section 3 on effective date and duration and specifically Section 3.3 which states that components of a running CBA can only be repealed by a new on,” Mr Oyuu said.
However, he emphasised that converting 46,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable status, along with hiring an additional 20,000 teachers, remained a critical issue. Addressing the shortage is key as the nation’s transition from the old curriculum to CBC, he said.
“This issue must be taken seriously, as there is a concerning discrepancy in the dialogue. The teacher shortage is a critical problem that, if addressed, could significantly enhance the quality of education, especially as the nation transitions from the old curriculum to CBC,” he said.
But Kuppet appeared to pour cold water on Knut’s decision to call off the planned strike as it vowed to push on with its decision to have teachers keep off schools.
“Following the withdrawal of the strike notice by the Kenya National Union of Teachers, Kuppet wishes to inform members and all teachers at large that the strike starting from Monday covers all teachers in the public service,” said Kuppet Secretary-General Akello Misori.
He said that there was no going back, citing the government’s failure to address teachers’ demands.
