Ruto's education charter on the agenda as Knut meets in Kisumu
Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu.
Renegotiation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement and a review of the retirement age of union officials and the formula for delocalisation of teachers are set to dominate the 62nd Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Annual Delegates Conference in Kisumu.
Other major resolutions will be on Kenya Kwanza education charter and the domiciling of the Competency-Based Curriculum in primary schools.
The two-day event bringing together delegates drawn from 110 branches is being held at the Citam church in Kisumu.
The National Executive Council (Nec) will present to the conference a detailed report on activities, accomplishments, future programmes and challenges the union is facing.
The conference, according to the union’s Standing Orders, is to have members debate on the report and approve or disapprove for the Nec to be able to transact leadership business in the preceding period after the ADC.
According to Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu, the conference offers teachers, through their leaders, an opportunity to assess and re-assess the achievements and challenges encountered by the union’s membership.
“We will reflect and come up with proposals and clear strategies for better service delivery to the teachers at all levels as envisioned in the Knut constitution and service charter,” said Mr Oyuu.
On the second day on Wednesday, senior officials from the national government are expected to address the gathering before the delegates can make resolutions.
The conference, however, comes at a time when the union’s national steering committee has prepared a draft constitution to push the retirement age of the officials from 60 to 65 years.
Create a huge debate
This is likely to create a huge debate, especially from delegates who feel there should be a transition in leadership.
Mr Oyuu stated that among the areas he expects delegates to deliberate with sobriety, is the demand for a renegotiation of the CBA 2021-2025.
He stated that the CBA was signed without monetary aspects and teachers did not like it.
He indicated that they have commenced structured talks with the Teachers Service Commission to have the matter addressed.
The Knut Secretary General said the proposal of a 60 percent salary increment across the board is based on the fact that teachers have not been compensated for a rise in the cost of living since 2017.
“Given that for six years, teachers have not received pay increments, there is a need to compensate them for the period. It is only fair to extrapolate the annual rate of inflation over six years which comes to 60 percent. This should be one of the resolutions of the delegates,” said Mr Oyuu.
The conference also comes at a time when teachers are also up in arms over the union’s failure to fight for those who have attained higher qualifications –diploma and degree-- to be promoted to teach in the upcoming junior secondary schools.
The delocalisation of teachers is also going to be a major point of discussion especially now that the policy has been scrapped.
“Many may not know that there is a dilemma over what to do with teachers who have expressed interest to go back to their counties since the positions they held there have since been filled,” said Mr Oyuu.
