The Meru Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Branch Executive Secretary, Caxton Miungi has faulted the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for engaging in battles with the union at the expense of teachers’ welfare.
Speaking to the media in Imenti Central sub-county, Miungi said there was need for urgent dialogue between the two parties entrusted with the welfare and career progression of the teachers to address thorny issues affecting teachers.
Miungi said TSC and KNUT were two autonomous but interdependent entities in the education sector and none had the moral authority to undermine or rule over the other to an extent of subjecting teachers to unnecessary suffering.
“KNUT has already extended an olive branch to the TSC calling for dialogue to address emerging issues likely to compromise the education sector without any form of chest thumping.” Miungi said.
He regretted that the decision to recover money from teachers was not well thought and should be revoked and the status quo maintained since the whole issue was subjected to due process before the final decision was made.
“The TSC cannot claim not to have been brought on board for participation before the endorsement of the CBA which led to teacher administrators being upgraded and paid accordingly,” Miungi said.
Echoing KNUT official’s sentiments, the Kenya Primary School Heads Association Chairman, Bernard Kiragu said the move to recover from the affected teachers was in bad taste and a demoralization of the highest order being executed by the employer.
The Chairman said most of the affected head teachers had been transferred far from their homes and families and may not afford to report to their schools when the learning institutions open for third term on September 2 due to financial constraints.
Kiragu said immediately teachers noticed an additional amount in their pay slips, most of them moved into commercial banks and other money lending institutions to obtain money to implement development projects to better their future.
He wondered how a teacher who had already invested into an ongoing project with the said money was expected to withstand the storm being caused by the recovery.
Kiragu therefore appealed to TSC to reconsider its decision bearing in mind that most of the affected teachers held administrative positions and ‘nobody in their right senses would want any form of disruption during third term because of the forthcoming national examinations.
“How does our employer expect us to manage national examinations for credible and fair results while working under such heavy financial stress?” Kiragu posed.
By Makaa Margaret
