Teachers report to work as new term begins

A teacher employed by the board of governors at St Augustine Preparatory School in Mombasa County. [PHOTO: GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD]

A spot check by The Standard on Monday revealed that schools in the county had resumed classes as teachers trooped back to work.

The more than 3,000 teachers who are members of the two main teachers' unions, Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet), had reported back to work.

Thousands of students had also reported back to school in anticipation of resumption of lessons.

Knut Kilindini branch Executive Officer Dan Aloo said all union teachers had reported to work.

"All our teachers are in school and teaching," he said.

Mr Aloo said the teachers have faith in the judicial system and that the union was optimistic of a favourable outcome of pay negotiations under the arbitration of the Industrial Court.

Last week, High Court judge Nduma Nderi directed the unions to call off the strike after he ordered teachers back to work.

At Ganjoni Primary School, the schools Board of Governors (BoG) Chairperson Jennifer Othigo said all teachers at the school had resumed work.

"Our teachers are in class teaching. We are hoping to burn the midnight oil to catch up with lost time and as we prepare for the year ahead," Dr Othigo, flanked by the school headmistress, Wilfrida Odongo, said.

Ganjoni Primary has  a student population of 1,350, and is one of the best performing public schools in the county.

The story was the same at St Augustine's Preparatory School, which has a boarding section. Pupils and teachers were busy settling down for classwork.

Last-minute shopping

It was a bee-hive of activity at bookshops and uniform centres, as parents shopped for essential school requirements.

Meanwhile, four men have taken to court the Tana River County Governor Hussein Dado over a list of nominees to the county's Lands Board.

Abubakar Salad, Said Mohammed, Hassan Dokula and Omar Baba have sued the governor, Speaker of the Assembly, the clerk and the county assembly and are seeking orders to have the list of the nominated board members quashed.

Through their lawyer Harold Were, the men say they were apprehensive that the controversial list of seven nominees could be sworn into office from any time now, thus the need for urgency.

Mr Were filed said the process to pick the nominees was unconstitutional as members of the public were not involved.

"The applicant's ethnic communities have not been afforded a fair chance or opportunity to apply and participate in the appointment of the Tana River County Lands Board," he submitted.

He argued that his clients' ethnic communities have been marginalised and discriminated against and further stated that the county government was abusing its statutory powers.