Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers are pushing for autonomy to be able to address specific challenges they face in their roles.
The tutors want autonomy to manage their schools and students more effectively, without being constrained by the structure or administration of the primary schools.
They are also advocating for an independent union, citing that the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have not been able to advocate for their rights.
Speaking in Nairobi during a luncheon hosted by Senator Edwin Sifuna to mark this year’s World Teachers Day, JSS national spokesperson Omari Omari said most of the challenges they have raised including salary increments have not been met.
"This is the time to advocate for our independence and we can no longer continue suffering in silence. JSS teachers are paid a meagre Sh17,000 per month which is not enough to cater for our needs including paying rent in Nairobi,” Mr Omari said.
He also called for the need to restructure the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to accommodate teachers so that they can adequately push for their needs.
“Just as the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) which has a representation of practising lawyers and the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) which consists of MPs, TSC should also have teachers to adequately address the teachers’ welfare,” added Mr Omari.
Mr Sifuna who is also the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General recalled that the party had proposed the inclusion of teachers in TSC to address their welfare adequately.
“Under the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), it was ODM that pushed for this and even proposed the formation of the Health Service Commission to address matters health but unfortunately this did not come to pass. It is high time we pushed for this to ensure the well-being of the teachers,” said Mr Sifuna.
The event was attended by representatives from Primary, Secondary and the JSS, as well as their union leaders in Nairobi.
Mr Sifuna decried the low remuneration of JSS teachers, saying Sh17,000 cannot cater for their needs in Nairobi city.
“Teachers are key in the society and their welfare should come first. As legislators, we shall do all it takes to ensure your voices are heard,” said Mr Sifuna who was accompanied by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje, Westland’s Tim Wanyonyi and educationist Janet Ouko.
As JSS teachers pushed for their autonomy, the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association had proposed to the Ministry of Education to domicile Grade 8 and 9 learners in Secondary schools due to inadequate resources in primary schools.
KESSHA chairman Willy Kuria promised to initiate discussions with the government to have Grades 8 and 9 domiciled in secondary schools.
Currently, Junior Secondary School from Grades 7 to 9 is domiciled in primary schools.
Kuppet Nairobi branch Executive Secretary said teachers in Nairobi deserve adequate remuneration due to the high cost of living in the city.
The luncheon was attended by more than 500 teachers’ representatives drawn from the 17 sub-counties in the City.
Mr Sifuna promised to treat the teachers every year underscoring the critical contribution of teachers in the society.
"For as long as I am the senator of Nairobi, we will always celebrate teachers every 5th October," said Mr Sifuna.
