Kuppet wants boarding schools banned as they burden teachers

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers has called on the government to start the progressive phase-out of boarding schools to ease the workload on teachers.

Secretary-General Akelo Misori said unlike their counterparts in day schools, teachers in boarding schools end up working long hours yet get no extra pay.

He said the situation has been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic where boarding schools teachers have to put in more hours to ensure students make up for the time lost during schools closure.

Misori spoke in Embu town today during a meeting with the union delegates from the upper and lower eastern regions.

He said teachers in boarding schools are more burdened as they have to play a double role in teaching and parenting since they also have to watch over the learners to ensure they are safe after classes.

The secretary-general added that all efforts must be put in to ensure in the end all learners go home after school.

"This is the conversation that all stakeholders and policymakers must start engaging in," said the SG, adding that it will also go a long way in limiting cases of insecurity in school.

Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba faulted the Ministry of Education for labelling teaching as an essential service and asking school heads to stay in school for longer hours.

"It is wrong to ask teachers to stay longer hours than usual yet you don't get them means to go back home or give them an allowance for that matter," he said.

The officials also took issue with the security situation in Laikipia County where their members, they said, have been caught up in the chaos.

They called on the government to move with speed to ensure calm is restored.

The Kuppet officials threatened to withdraw their teachers from class should the situation not improve in the days to come.

“If the situation does not improve the soonest, we will have no other choice than to ask teachers to stay away from class," Milemba said.