Members of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) took to the streets today in peaceful demonstrations around Kericho Town to voice their dissatisfaction with the unresolved grievances concerning the implementation of the second phase of the 2021/2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The irate teachers who carried placards while chanting slogans demanded significant improvements in their working conditions, fair promotions, and the harmonization of allowances saying teachers had for many years stagnated in one job group with no promotions.
Led by the Kericho County Kuppet Executive Secretary, Mary Rotich, they also lamented that the Teachers Service Commission had failed to remit capitation to medical insurers, which had inconvenienced teachers who needed medical attention.
Ms. Rotich who addressed the media at Moi Gardens Kericho also highlighted the other critical concerns including confirmation of Junior Secondary School (JSS) Teachers into permanent and pensionable terms.
“Teachers have for long stagnated in job groups, we go for interviews and we are not promoted without any explanation no reason at all. Teachers get salary cuts immediately after being promoted. We ask the TSC to listen and review the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG)” said Rotich.
The KUPPET Executive Secretary emphasized the urgent need for the government to address all the pressing issues before teachers can resume their duties insisting that the KUPEET teachers within the County will continue to down tools.
“We realize that TSC has just refused to listen to the teachers and did not even want to go through the list of our demands, that is why we have decided to resort to industrial action,” she stated.
“Our employer doesn’t have any goodwill for the teachers and that is why they gave us a problematic medical cover. Teachers in hospitals have to beg for services and wait for approvals for long hours, and at times they are even denied services” added Ms. Rotich
Meanwhile, a spot-check by KNA revealed that, despite the ongoing strike by members of KUPPET, most students reported for the start of the third term in public schools across Kericho town.
By Kibe Mburu
