Coast teachers demand probe on Teachers Service Commission

Coast teachers demand probe on TSC

Mombasa, KENYA: The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Kilindini branch in Mombasa wants the Government to probe how the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) officials spend money allocated to the commission.

Knut Kilindini branch Executive Secretary Dan Aloo claimed there is a lot of extravagant expenditure by TSC management, yet teachers continued to live as paupers.

"We are demanding a forensic audit to see how Sh117 billion that TSC gets is utilised. Teachers only consume Sh70 billion while the rest is consumed by TSC,'' he said.

Speaking when he addressed Knut Kilindini branch members in Changamwe on the third day of the nationwide teachers' strike, Aloo said there are uncontrolled expenditures ranging from domestic and international holiday travels by TSC top echelons, yet the Kenyan teacher cannot afford decent meals.

He said teachers will not resume classes until TSC and the Government accept their demands for better pay. "We do not eat dialogue. It is money we want in our accounts and nothing short of that," he emphasised as he led teachers in a street protest that saw hundreds of them march from the Knut offices to Kenya Petroleum Oil Refineries Limited.

As the strike goes into fourth day, the teachers ignored a directive to report to school by Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi after a failed meeting with teachers' representatives in Nairobi.

"Let Kambi know we will not relent on our quest for money," Aloo said.

Elsewhere, Kwale government officials and police have said private schools and their teachers will be protected from public schools teachers and union officials who have threatened to storm them for not participating in the strike.

On Monday, local union officials warned private schools and their teachers not to work as teachers in public schools went on strike to demand better pay. But yesterday, Kwale County Commissioner Evans Achoki said private schools will be protected from the threats.

And in Tana River, no primary or secondary school has opened since Monday.