Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers opens doors to primary teachers in recruitment drive

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has opened its doors to membership from primary school teachers.

The union, which traditionally represents secondary and tertiary institutions, has so far recruited 1,500 new primary school teachers in its recently launched countrywide campaign.

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori said the Constitution has allowed any teacher to join a union of their choice in the country as opposed to the past when they were traditionally locked into being members of a particular union.

Speaking in Narok on Saturday during the union's branch annual general meeting, Mr Misori said the union has embarked on a recruitment exercise to boost its membership base owing to the new window provided by the Constitution.

"Several primary school teachers have been applying to be our members and because the Constitution has allowed this, we have taken them on board and we shall continue to open doors for others to join," he said.

Since independence, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has been the only union that has been representing primary school teachers in the country while jostling for members in secondary and tertiary institutions with Kuppet.

Misori, who was accompanied by Narok and Bomet Executive secretaries Robert Obwocha and Joseph Kimetto, dismissed the Salaries and Remuneration Commission for attempting to control the ongoing salary negotiations between teachers unions and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

"We have noted with a lot of concern that the Sarah Serem-led commission is being used by the political class to frustrate the ongoing negotiations," Misori said.

He said article 237 of the Constitution mandates the TSC to negotiate with teachers on salaries increment.