The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has expanded its National Governing Council (NGC) to include representatives for Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers, women, and persons with disabilities.
Under the new structure, JSS teachers will hold the position of Assistant National Secretary, while women and persons with disabilities will occupy the first, second, and third Assistant National Gender Secretary positions.
Additionally, the revamped NGC will now consist of 11 elected national officials and 16 women representatives from various counties.
KUPPET’s newly adopted constitution also defines the role of the National Advisory Council (NAC), which will be composed of elected national officials, including the National Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, National Treasurer, and key branch representatives from across the country.
Chaired by the National Chairperson, the NAC will meet annually—or as needed—to provide strategic guidance to the NGC, enforce union policies, and oversee financial and administrative matters.
A quorum for decision-making has been set at one-third of the council members.
According to KUPPET Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima, the expanded leadership framework aims to enhance inclusivity and governance.
“Election guidelines under the new Constitution will ensure that teachers from previously marginalised groups like female, youth and people living with disability rise to national leadership,” said Nthurima.
The National Executive Board (NEB), consisting of 14 elected national officials, will continue managing the union’s daily affairs, ensuring regional and gender balance. It will also oversee collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), financial management, and policy implementation.
KUPPET has also restructured its governance at the regional and branch levels. Eight regional councils—Coast, North Eastern, Eastern, Central, Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza, and Nairobi—will convene twice a year to address union and educational matters.
Each region will elect a steering committee and manage finances through branch levies and grants.
At the county level, the Branch General Assembly (BGA) will operate under the oversight of the NEB. It will convene annually to elect branch leaders, approve financial statements, and manage local union affairs.
The Branch Governing Council (BGC) and the Branch Executive Committee (BEC) will oversee discipline, financial management, and implementation of union policies at the grassroots level.
To safeguard union assets and ensure accountability, KUPPET has increased the number of trustees from four to nine. They will be elected every five years, will oversee property management, financial records, and leadership transitions.
Nthurima noted that the new structure aligns the union with national governance frameworks and enhances its ability to address teachers’ issues at regional and county levels.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
“The new structure will cure representation gaps and align the union to the national government structures which have offices at the Regional level. The union’s county leaderships have had limited capacity to address regional teachers’ issues,” he stated.