JKUAT recalls students, says learning has resumed

The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has recalled students who have not reported back to the institution to rejoin their colleagues who resumed learning on Monday, May 7.

According to statement issued by Dr Hindzano Ngonyo, the University’s head of corporate communications, the move follows a series of meetings held between the university management and the teaching and non-teaching staff early last week.

“During the meetings held on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, the teaching staff and the non-teaching staff agreed to resume work immediately as the Government and the university staff unions and other stakeholders seek solutions to unlock the current industrial dispute arising from the implementation of the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement,” reads the statement.

A notice circulated to all the JKUAT students and signed by the Academic Registrar, Dr Esther Muoria, partly reads: “This is to notify you that classes commenced on Monday 7^th May, 2018. All students are expected to be in class as earlier advised, as well as signing the class attendance forms as required.”

The Memo further states: “Students who will not have commenced classes by Monday 14^th May, 2018 will be assumed to have deferred their course in line with the University’s rule of the two thirds(2/3) compliance.”

According to the statement, already some classes are ongoing.

“The university management through a memo signed today by the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Administration, Prof Victoria Ngumi, has also appealed “to staff who had not resumed their work to resume duty by Monday, May 14, 2018,”   concludes the statement.

Some lecturers in public universities have signed documents committing themselves to resume teaching, a development which the Universities Academic Staff Union has termed as blackmail, urging its members to defy it.