Knut to strike when schools open

By Lonah Kibet

Another bruising battle between teachers’ unions and government over salary increment and implementation of pending allowances is shaping up and could even impact on reopening of schools in a fortnight.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) on Sunday took its threat for a national strike a notch higher by issuing the statutory 14-day notice to Teachers Service Commission and Ministry of Labour. The Knut’s strike set for September 3 coincides with the reopening of schools for third and final term of the year, which will be shorter because of the new regulations only the candidates should be in school when national exams are administered.

It is in this coming term that Standard Eight classes will sit for Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, and Form Four students the Kenya Certificate Secondary Education.

Knut’s strike call comes hot on the heels of another by rival Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) for its members to stay off work from September 5, two days after that of Knut members.

On Sunday, Knut Secretary General Mr David Osiany called on their members countrywide to proceed with the industrial action on Monday September 3.

The union is demanding 300 per cent salary increment, immediate implementation of Legal Notice 534 of 1997 with regard to teachers’ allowances and responsibility allowances at 50 per cent for school principals and heads, 40 per cent for the deputies and 30 per cent both for senior teachers and Heads of Departments.

“Classrooms in all public schools across the country will be empty as teachers will not report to their work stations until the demands they have made are addressed. The notice takes effect from Tuesday,” said Knut chairman Mr Wilson Sossion at a press conference in Nairobi.

More teachers

Osiany said: “Besides being trade unionists, we are also parents with children in public institutions. We will equally be affected by the strike, which we feel must be undertaken to press the government to respond to issues affecting teachers.”

He said the budgetary provision for employment of 10,000 teachers fell far below the demand by the union for the government to hire 40,000 teachers in both primary and secondary institutions and another 23,000 for deployment to nursery schools. The Government has only hired 11,000, due for posting next month.

“The Government has treated this matter casually despite the fact during previous consultations, consensus has always been that more teachers be employed to bridge the gap between the high enrolment rate and teachers shortages,” Osiany argued.

Kuppet on other hand, is demanding a 100 per cent increase in salaries and allowances, which it said should have been factored in the budget presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Njeru Githae in June.

“Having explored all avenues of engagement and noting with regret that neither Teachers Service Commission (TSC) nor the Minister for Education has found it necessary to engage the union, Kuppet is resorting to industrial action,” Akello Misori, the union’s Secretary General announced last month.

Kuppet national chairman Omboko Milemba, national organising secretary Paul Maingi, vice-chairman Julius Korir, deputy treasurer Ronald Tonui, women representative Catherine Wambilianga, as well as Edward Obwocha, and Sammy Chelanga, among other officials, accompanied Misori.

“Teachers cannot continue to beg the employer for salary increase when other civil servants have been awarded. It is actually unconstitutional for the government to sideline teachers in increment of salaries yet they play a crucial role in nurturing the country’s human resource,” Milemba lamented.

“We are demanding that commuter and housing allowances for teachers be ratified as agreed in a deal signed between Kuppet and TSC in June 2009,” Milemba said.

Kuppet also wants Post-Graduate Diploma holders to be paid 40 per cent on top of their basic salary in recognition of their professional certificates.

Leave allowances

Kuppet is also demanding that teachers be paid leave allowances equivalent to one month’s basic salary annually as is the case with other civil servants.

Chelanga said the union was demanding tutors in Teacher Training Colleges and Technical Training colleges be paid as well as training, attachment and teaching practice allowances.

Knut and Kuppet repeatedly raised the issue with the government and demanded for increased budgetary provisions to cater for the interests of their members, but the matter has not been adequately addressed.

Over the years, teachers have resorted to industrial action to press the government to remedy the situation with learning being paralysed in schools.

Last year, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta while serving as the Finance Minister signed separate agreements with the two unions bringing a one-week strike to an end.

It led to the 18,000 teachers who were on contracts being employed on permanent and pensionable terms with a promise that another 10,000 would be taken on board.