Be patient over pay, teachers told

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR and LINAH BENYAWA

 MOMBASA; KENYA: President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked teachers to be patient over their demands for higher benefits, arguing that the government was facing financial constraints.

The straight-talking president asked teachers to give the government time, saying that he was committed to ensuring that the welfare of all teachers is improved.

Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) leadership had asked the president to issue a directive to the teacher’s employer to prepare a new scheme of service for them.

Kepsha National Chairman Joseph Karuga said there was no recognition for the over 20,000 teachers who had completed their executive diploma course at the Kenya Education Management Institute (Kemi).

Plea on capitation

He also wanted the schools capitation per child to be revised from the current Sh1,025 to Sh8,000.

Karuga also asked for recruitment of over 70,000 teachers to bridge the current gap.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) National Chairman Wilson Sossion and acting Secretary-General Mudzo Nzili also asked President Kenyatta to “take care” of primary school head teachers.

“You have been a friend of teachers and the only thing your government can do now is to take care of these teachers,” said Sossion.

Nzili also asked the head of state to ensure all graduate teachers are well remunerated.

“We want the state to make enough provisions to ensure enough teachers are recruited in all public schools,” said Nzili.

President Kenyatta acknowledged the demands made by the teachers but noted that they may not be fulfilled immediately.

“Even as we go forward, we must accept that Rome was not built in a day. The government is aware that all demands made by teachers were justified but currently, our financial status is not able to take care of them; that is why we are asking teachers to be more patient with the government,” said President Kenyatta.

He was speaking in Mombasa during the Kenya Primary School Heads Association’s (Kepsha) Ninth Annual Delegates’ Conference.

President Kenyatta asked teachers to work closely with the government to ensure that it delivers some of those issues pressing the education sector.

“Give the government time, let us work with your unions. The government is committed to improving those conditions but progressively. I do not want to give you false hope that might later come back to haunt me,” he said.

House Education Committee Chairperson Sabinah Chege also told teachers to allow the government time to fulfill its pledges.

“As the president has said, he is committed to enhancing teachers’ welfare and so let us be patient and allow him time to deliver,” she said.

Scheme of service

Sossion said the scheme of service was long overdue and that it needed to be overhauled.

Nzili said there was need for the government to ensure it channels enough funds to TSC so that it can promote all graduate teachers.

“The Teachers Service Commission has suspended the promotion of teachers. Therefore we would like to ask the government to recognise and remunerate them accordingly,” said Nzili.