More than 200 Junior Secondary School teachers (JSS) in Bomet County have downed their tools in what they termed as the government’s insensitivity to their plights.
In a demonstration held at Bomet town, the teachers together with KUPPET accused the government of failing to confirm them into permanent and pensionable basis against the meagre salary of Sh17,000, they have been paying them.
KUPPET Vice Chairman Peter Bett told the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) that they would not continue to render their services in the schools until their issues are addressed.
“The internship and contract were termed illegal by the court and the ruling must be respected by the teachers’ employer body and the government,” said Bett.
He added that the TSC should also compensate the JSS teachers for the services they offered from February last year up to date.
“A qualified teacher should not teach under contract terms as the Constitution mandates TSC to employ teachers on permanent and pensionable terms,” he said.
The vice chairman wondered why the government was insisting that they could not employ teachers on permanent terms while a section of politicians is seen dishing out employment letters to their cronies.
“We want to tell the TSC that you are in a position to confirm all the teachers daily and it is shameful for political leaders to issue employment letters to their followers as a way of wooing them,” he remarked.
Bett added that the TSC should use the right channel in employing teachers by advertising vacancies in the media for the teachers to apply and not engage politicians who were advancing their selfish interests.
KUPPET Treasurer Joseph Bett called on the parents of those Junior Secondary Schools to take care of their children because these teachers would no longer attend the teaching sessions given the peanut salaries.
The unionists also alleged that there was massive corruption and malpractices perpetuated by the TSC officials in the employment of the teachers.
“We are hearing that for one to be employed on permanent terms, you need to part with Sh400,000 as bribe and we need these TSC officials to come out clear on this,” he said.
Bett called on President William Ruto to intervene in these matters which if left unchecked, would affect the learning in most schools in the country.
JSS spokesman Mungen Kipruto said they were ready to face the sack for fighting for their rights in the employment of the affected teachers.
“We will seek justice in the Labour Court because we cannot continue to teach in an unfavourable environment,” he said.
By Lewis Moracha and Nickson Terer
