Teachers vow to boycott training on new curriculum

Siaya teachers will boycott training organised by the government to sensitise them on the new curriculum implementation, local Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) officials have said.
Led by the Siaya KNUT branch executive secretary, Alex Dunga, the branch officials said none of their members will attend the Competency Based Curriculum training that is slated to begin at the zonal level across the county on April 23, 2019.
Speaking to the media at the union offices in Siaya town, Dunga said they will not be party to the training as the ministry of education has from the outset excluded the union and other education stakeholders in coming up with the new curriculum.
Flanked by the branch chairman, Hippolytus Omondi, treasurer, Zebedy Oriwo and branch executive committee members, the executive secretary urged the government to stop rushing the curriculum implementation and instead shift focus on addressing teacher shortages and inadequate learning facilities.
He faulted the ministry of education for not making proper arrangements for the trainings, adding that it was improper to compel the schools to cater for training expenses.
During the meeting, the KNUT branch condemned plans by the government to impose a 1.5 percent housing levy on all salaried employees to fund the government’s affordable housing scheme.
The officials said the teachers’ unions had not been consulted over the matter and warned that they will not accept to be deducted any coin towards the scheme.
“If the government deducts our pay, we shall not open schools next term,” the officials warned.
By Philip Onyango