Keep window of hope open at teachers’ salary talks

NAIROBI: By agreeing to open fresh negotiations over the teachers’ pay dispute, the unions and the Government have offered Kenyan parents an early Christmas gift. It gets even better that parties in the dispute have agreed to drop all court cases relating to the pay. In view of the turbulence experienced this year in the education sector, a new beginning for a problem that has dogged the sector for a long time is certainly welcome.

The Wednesday meeting between the Ministry of Education, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) should provide an opportunity for all parties to pursue a win-win solution to teachers’ pay and terms of engagement. It should mark a break with an ugly past where the path of strikes has been lined with confrontation and bitter exchanges.

When teachers drop the chalk, learners are the biggest losers besides the country’s future whose progress is pegged on the young impressionable minds. And it does not matter whether it is in public or private institutions; strikes compromise the quality of education across the board. The nation is left the poorer for the unnecessary disruption. Parents feel the financial pinch as they are often forced to dig deeper into their pockets as their children engage in back and forth trips to school. It is unfair for Kenyan taxpayers to have public schools closed due to disagreements between teachers and their employer. Parents, who cannot afford the cost of education in private schools, usually suffer bitterly with no one to turn to.

We, therefore, urge all parties in this matter to engage in sincere negotiations in the spirit of give and take and do it in a manner that brings honour and dignity to the education sector. Sabotage, intimidation, suspicion and open hostility must not be allowed to cloud these all-important talks. It is encouraging to note that Knut top leadership is now reading from the same script in regard to the State House deal. Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion had initially differed with Chairman Mudzo Nzili over the State House meeting, claiming the deal was bad for teachers. He even threatened to rally teachers against the Jubilee government in the 2017 elections. It is unfortunate that the situation reached that stage, sparking fears of potential fallout in the giant teachers’ union.

In the State House deal, teachers are to get their September and October salaries, TSC would remit withheld deductions to the unions and a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) would be reached in a month. That should not only look good on paper, but parties must work hard to deliver the promise. Taking hardline positions and issuing ultimatums from any party would only narrow the window of hope in the education sector.

Still, all parties must demonstrate willingness and ability to step up quality and credibility of instruction in schools and the tests administered at the end of every year. They must put in demonstrable efforts to address glaring challenges facing the sector. Kenyans expect the people charged with the management of education at every level to be diligent and genuinely mindful of the future of this country.

Absenteeism among teachers and cheating in national examinations are just a few of the challenges TSC and the teachers’ unions must begin to look into seriously. It is unacceptable that the just ended national examinations were marred by unprecedented irregularities where some parents, teachers, exam officials and learners are believed to have been involved in widespread leakage of examination papers. This country needs to completely disengage from a mind-set of cheating to excel; and this must be the responsibility of all stakeholders including teachers, their representatives, their employer, parents and students. It can be done, let us do it.