How the jubilee government has handled the case of teachers strike is a replica of what the past three governments have done with teachers in the past. It has perfected the arts of threats and quick fixes techniques to end the strike as was used by his predecessors. A therapy that for a long time has left the education sector compromised.
The verdict by the court that the teachers call off their strike for 90 days before a solution is found was a quick fix technique whose impact is likely to take the education sector to its knees. Treating the symptoms has never been a solution to any problem. I am tempted to believe that the courts order for teachers to call of their strike was a result influenced by the President’s National Address on the teachers strike, as the address was filled with lies intended to incite public against teachers that if the pay rise is effected then the taxpayer would be made to dig deeper in their pockets.
If indeed teachers soften their stance and go back to class, then there is likelihood of the strike to resurface come January next year which again will have a negative impact on the learners. Learners will be forced to device their own obscene ways to pass exams which in turn will transmute to the birth of a generation of educated fools who cannot even write their names.
The corporate world has for long lamented of the half-baked graduates who lack intelligence, competence and ability to think critically which has made many scholars to conclude that the Kenyan education has been left for the dogs. This in effect will also derail Kenya’s efforts of attaining the 2030 vision and the millennium development goals.
The government should seek to find a long lasting solution to the incessant strikes from both the teachers and the public servants.
The salary and Remuneration commission should be left to remain independent as stipulated in the constitution to harmonize the salaries of the public servants including MPs to avoid future strikes. The commission lost its power the day MPs politicised its duties when it tried to harmonize salaries for the legislators.
Unless the jubilee government is determined to pass the problem to the subsequent government, then it should find a long lasting solution.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join