The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Busia branch kicked off their strike with a peaceful demonstration in the town as secondary schools remain closed across the county.
Led by their County Executive Secretary, Moffats Okisai, the teachers faulted their employer (TSC) for failing to honor the implementation of the phase two of their 2021-2025 CBA and confirmation of JSS teachers to permanent and pensionable terms.
“Our demands as the union include immediate implementation of the second phase of the CBA. If we want to have quality education in our schools, the presence of human resources is very paramount. CBC cannot succeed when we don’t have teachers. Intern teachers cannot be paid Sh17,000; this is a disgrace to our teachers and that’s the reason we are calling for immediate confirmation of our JSS teachers to permanent and pensionable basis,” said Okisai.
Okisai further asked the TSC to ensure that there is public participation by the teachers before any policy is implemented.
“When Teachers’ professional development was initiated, the input of teachers was not incorporated and as a result of career progression guidelines, teachers have stagnated in one job group for over 10 years. We demand immediate promotion of teachers,” he said
He also faulted the TSC for compromising their medical cover stating that teachers have been unable to access healthcare services.
“The service providers have declined to treat teachers because money is not remitted. A sick teacher is an unproductive teacher. They have collected our money but they are not remitting to third parties like banks and Saccos where our teachers have taken loans from thus subjecting our teachers to embarrassment”.
The union official asked TSC to ensure those teachers in acting positions had been given acting allowances, adding that school Principals should not take disciplinary actions against teachers stating that their strike is protected.
“Busia has 170 secondary schools in which 98 schools have deputies in acting positions. Those teachers should be given acting allowances. School Principals are members of Kuppet and none of them should take disciplinary action against a teacher for having demanded fair labor practices,” he said.
The branch chairman Charles Mukhwana echoed Okisai’s sentiments by accusing the government of double-speak on the issue of JSS teachers.
“I want to tell the government that we are not going to class until our JSS teachers have been employed. The National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairperson Ndindi Nyoro told us that the government has allocated funds to employ all 46,000 JSS teachers, recently, the Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said there are no funds to employ these teachers, so who do we believe?”
Kuppet teachers have vowed to continue with their strike even after KNUT called off theirs.
The situation has caused confusion in education among students and parents with a number of primary school learners failing to report to school on Monday.
Yesterday secondary schools’ heads association (KESSHA) issued a statement asking parents to prepare learners for the commencement of the third term which starts today.
By Salome Alwanda
