The dispute on teachers’ pay rise has a long history. Teachers have never earned a pay rise without a bitter fight.
Through some well thought-out schemes, the Government has slowly been improving the salaries of civil servants and security forces. For teachers, it has always been after a fight.
But let’s put it into context. The Kenyan economy has been made more vulnerable by continued corruption over the years more than lack of opportunities to grow. Indeed talk over time has been you cannot make it economically without dipping your fingers into public till.
Nonetheless, there are many people who have made riches through hard work, enterprise or talent in Kenya as is in many other parts of the world.
As the Kenyan economy opens from the prior stranglehold by an inhibiting political structure and bad culture, there will be many successful entrepreneurs. But the monster remains corruption and rabid tribalism. This is what has prevented people doing tough jobs in public service, like teachers, from getting their fair share of income out of their labour.
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How do we get out of the present strike quagmire? There is no simple solution to this.
Threats, intimidation and harassment won’t work.
Lack of goodwill has been the problem and teachers having felt short changed after the 1997 deal know better and are wiser now.
I think a round table meeting between the teachers’ unions, the Treasury, the Attorney General and the President can work out a payout formula that will be anchored in law.
The Government must put a stop on corruption, collect and gather all revenue and plan ahead to avert future strikes by teachers and public servants.
The Government also has an obligation to offer quality services to the public to ensure quality life.
