Court asks teachers to call off strike

Kenya: The Industrial Court in Nairobi gave the teachers' strike a new spin when it directed teachers to resume lessons and asked trade unions, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) to file the dispute matters before it.

Judge Mathews Nduma Nderi asked the unions to call off the strike which has paralysed learning in the country's public schools and stopped any victimisation of the teachers who have down tools since last week.

The Court asked KUPPETand KNUT to file their cases by Monday January 19 and asked the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC)  to respond to the dispute by January 26.

It will be another fresh attempt to try and resolve the dispute which has affected nearly all public institutions at primary and high school levels across Kenya.

Parents have in some cases desperately kept their pupils and students home in hope of success in negotiations in vain.

It is not clear if the teachers will heed the courts order going by their previous stands.