The standoff between the Government and teachers over salaries is shameful and does not augur well for the education sector.
Teachers have been on strike for the past three weeks and if no solution is found, there are indications it could drag on.
The strike has disrupted learning in public institutions forcing many to send students home.
The strike comes at a crucial period in the schools’ academic calendar, as this is the term when national examinations – the
Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations are held.
There’s no denying that pupils and students preparing for these examinations have been affected by the ongoing strike. Already, there is talk that the two exams may be rescheduled if the impasse is not solved fast.
However, what is most worrying is the stand taken by the Government on the strike. Just when Kenyans expected the Cabinet to give direction on the matter, it has instead opted to issue threats to the teachers hoping this would cow them to go back to class.
The Cabinet, sitting on Thursday in a session chaired by President Kibaki and attended by Prime Minister Raila Odinga, asked teachers to resume duty and threatened mass sackings and salary freezes to those who fail to comply with the order.
It is sad that just when the dispute had narrowed down to whether the Sh13.5 billion should be paid in three tranches as demanded by Government or at a one-go as asked by the teachers, the Cabinet came out blazing and issuing threats. It told them they would be sacked.
And in a move that smacks of desperation, the Cabinet said if the strike goes on, the 100,000 trained but yet to be employed, and retired teachers under age 65 would be redeployed to salvage the crumbling public sector.
The Government has consistently goofed on the matter. The ministers who should give direction have equally decided to take a hardline stand. We recall that even as the negotiations progressed, Finance minister Njeru Githae declared there was no money for teachers.
Teachers from the 278,000-strong Kenya National Union of Teachers have demanded a 300 per cent pay rise, while those of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers with 47,000 members want a 100 per cent increase.
Mr Githae has blatantly said the only way salaries sought would be met by Treasury was through raising income tax to 60 per cent and suspending multi-billion-shilling Government projects.
Githae’s counterpart at the Education docket, Mutula Kilonzo echoed the arrogant dismissal of teachers’ demands, as “the nonsense he would not entertain”.
The Teachers Service Commission aggravated the confrontation by decreeing striking teachers would not be paid their September salaries. Meaning no money will go into their accounts next week.
Against this backdrop, there is no denying that the Government has handled the matter poorly and failed to give direction and end the suffering of hapless pupils, students, and parents.
This is a sad scenario for a country that aims to boost education standards among its citizens.
Concerned that the situation was now getting out of hand, top Church leaders have condemned the Government over what they termed as lapses in management of national affairs. They called on the Government to end the strikes in the education and health sectors.
The Government must heed this call from the clergy. It should drop its arrogant stand to allow dialogue as the best way to end the stalemate.
A disruption of the education sector has its ripple effect in other sectors. For example, one of the pillars of Vision 2030 is education.
Equally, parents remain anxious as their children stay home, while those in private schools continue with their studies yet they are all expected to sit the same exams.
We hope the Government is listening, which is the only way of finding a solution.
