Teachers in Siaya have defied calls by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) to boycott the curriculum based training as they trooped to the respective centres for the four day exercise.
According to Siaya County Teachers’ Service Commission Director, Samwel Marigat, the exercise kicked off smoothly in all the 34 zonal training centres in the county on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media on phone, Marigat said a little hitch, occasioned by the rains was reported in Rarieda sub county in the morning hours but everything went on smoothly afterwards.
The director said the training was good for the teachers, as the implementers of the new curriculum and urged them to shun calls to boycott the exercise.
Last week, Siaya KNUT branch, led by the Executive Secretary, Alex Dunga called on teachers to boycott the training, saying that the ministry of education had failed to consult stakeholders while coming up with the new curriculum.
However, a spot check in various training centres such as Boro, Mahola, Kowet and Siaya township primary schools revealed that the exercise was going on as scheduled without any interruption.
Contacted, Siaya KNUT boss, Alex Dunga said that his members were coerced into reporting for training following threats by the TSC that disciplinary measures would be taken against those who failed to attend.
He said that the implementation of the curriculum was bound to fail unless the government yields to demands by the stakeholders, especially the teachers union, that it includes all the stakeholders.
“Training is one thing. Implementation is another. They cannot force our members to implement what they are opposed to,” he said.
By Philip Onyango
