Unions oppose order for heads to live in schools

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion said currently, schools are dangerous environments for both teachers and learners. (Photo: File/Standard)

Teachers' unions have rejected the directive requiring all boarding school principals and deputies to live in school compounds.

 Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) officials Thursday said teachers are not security experts and should be victimised.

Speaking separately, Knut and Kuppet officials opposed the order by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), saying there was no policy direction on teachers' role in school security.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion said currently, schools are dangerous environments for both teachers and learners and asked the Government to close them down.

"Teachers are traumatised and tension is high among students," said Mr Sossion.

He said teachers lack technical capacity to stop fires even if they resided in schools.

"That is an abuse of teachers in the face of a disaster. No one is safe in schools now, including teachers," Sossion said.

Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori said there has never been a negotiated extension of teachers' working hours.

"The ministry policy is clear on the time schedules for reportage to schools and the time to check out. Why is TSC keen to breach the regulations?" wondered Misori.

He said TSC has, over the years, failed to pay responsibility allowance for all principals, their deputies and senior teachers.

Only primary school heads and their deputies are entitled to the allowance.

"Responsibility allowance for secondary school teachers has never been implemented and so we are not agreeable to the proposals," said Misori.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia announced the decision to have senior teachers reside in schools was arrived at after a meeting with representatives of secondary school principals.

"We have agreed that in boarding schools, all principals, deputies and teachers in charge of all boarding aspects and other key administrative staff reside in school at all times," reads the communication.

The directive was seen as an immediate solution taken by the TSC to forestall the fires.

The officials spoke as pressure piled on the Government to bring to a stop the fire incidents that have affected over 110 schools.