Teachers finalise plans to down tools next week

Kenya National Union of Teachers led by National Executive Council member, Dan Aloo[2nd left] during their meeting at Bricks Hotel in Mombasa. They want to mobilises their members within Coast region in preparation for Teachers strike to begin on 26th this Month. They vow to continue witrh strike if the Government fail to honour CBA 2021-2025. [Omondi Onyango,Standard]

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) branches in Coast on Thursday said that all public schools in the region will be paralyzed and warned parents against sending children to school.

The officials from the six branches, led by National Executive Committee member Dan Aloo, vowed to ensure that all teachers participate in the strike, which is scheduled to start on Monday.

"Our message to parents is: do not send your children to school on Monday because the teachers will be on strike demanding their rights. Parents, please also support us,” said Aloo.

Mr Aloo who is also the Kilindini branch executive said the officials rejected the Sh10.5 billion offer from the government, insisting that all the other six issues must be resolved.

"We had agreed with the government over what we are supposed to be paid and since that has not been fulfilled the strike will start on August 25 at midnight,” said Aloo

On Wednesday, the Teachers Service Commission said they had received Sh10.5 billion from the Treasury to address the arrears for July and August. The unions insist that the government must provide the Sh13.3 billion needed for the second phase of the 2021-2025 CBA.

On Thursday, the union officials said all the 46,000 Junior Secondary teachers must also be employed permanently and on pensionable terms.

Aloo said that for teachers to report to work, the government must also release all the statutory deductions of teachers to various government agencies.

"We also want all 130,000 teachers who applied for promotion to be given new grades immediately, “said Aloo.

In Taita Taveta, Kenya Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) said preparations for the strike and protests in the county have been finalized.

Kuppet union officials announced yesterday that they notified the police about their intention to demonstrate and occupy the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) offices in Mwatate, Voi, Wundanyi, and Taveta Sub Counties to demand their fundamental rights.

Mr Ismael Omoke, the Kuppet Branch Executive Secretary, said the over 900 secondary school teachers in Taita will not report to work if all their demands are not met.

He said on Monday that teachers will hold protests in Mwatate town and occupy the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) offices to demand the full implementation of their salary deal.

On Wednesday, Omoke said teachers will demonstrate in Voi town, while on Friday, they will protest at the Taveta border town. He said that Kenyan teachers working in Tanzania will join them in solidarity to boost the protests in the border town.

“We have already notified our members and the police force that the strike is still on starting Monday and we will not report to our respective duty stations. We will down tools to demand for the full implementation of the second phase of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA),” he warned.

He added: “We expect protection from the police as our demonstrations will be peaceful. We will only be armed with white tee shirts, placards, and vuvuzelas.”

Parents interviewed said they were confused whether to send their children to boarding schools and later be turned away.

Most parents who spoke to The Standard criticized the union for using their children as pawns to bargain their salary increment.

"Why should they wait when the teachers are supposed to be with form four candidates to prepare them for examination is when they are calling for a strike," said Jane Kahindi, a parent.

Daniel Makoko, a former Education Executive, said the union should be mindful of the welfare of the students by calling off the strike.

“It is unfortunate that teachers are going to strike next week. The unions should postpone the destructive strike until January next year if the government fails to address their concerns," he said.

Meanwhile, The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) officials in Nakuru have declared a strike on Monday following a delay in the implementation of the reviewed 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs)

The union Secretary-General Duncan Macharia said schools will not open until the government implements the second and third phases of the CBA 2021-2025.

He observed that, initially the union had given the government two months to respect the CBA but failed to adhere to it.

Report by Yvonne Chepkwony, Willis Oketch and Renson Mnyamwezi