Knut on the war path over delayed promotions

By STEPHEN MAKABILA

KENYA: As the deadline the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) had given the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to unconditionally promote teachers expires on Tuesday, the government should be wary of the re-energised union following its re-structured leadership.

The Standard on Sunday has established Knut, through partnership from three foreign teachers’ union, has established a reserve fund account to cushion its members during the strike period.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said teachers had been put on high alert just in case the government fails to unconditionally promote the over 53,000 teachers to avert the looming strike.

The union also wants the government to employ at least 40,000 teachers to bridge the current shortage, estimated at over 100,000 teachers.

Last year, the union led teachers in a 24-day strike that saw the government give in to employ 10,000 teachers and pay commuter allowances to members.

“We have told teachers to be ready for combat if their rights are going to be trampled on. Promotions and better terms of service are not negotiable,” said Mr Sossion.

He further said, “We want these deserving teachers to be promoted as it is their right which is enshrined under Chapter 4 Article 19 of the Constitution.

Sossion has also accused the TSC of ignoring union members even though they had met the required qualifications for promotions.

Knut re-organised the leadership during its Annual Delegates Conference in Nakuru last December, where Sossion swapped positions with Mudzo Nzili, to become Secretary General and Nzili the national chairman.

Mr Nzili has also weighed in on the issue, accusing TSC of irregularly promoting graduate and non-graduate teachers.

“Some teachers graduated and qualified for promotion but are almost retiring at the same level,” explained Mr Nzili.

During last year’s strike, the Union had a rare support from the Kenya National Association of Parents  (KNAP).

KNAP Secretary General Musau Ndunda had then threatened to mobilise  parents go to the streets with their children to compel the government  to heed to the teachers demands. Ndunda had then argued the government did not give priority to teachers grievances like other national issues.

And on the union’s reserve fund account, Sossion revealed that they were being supported by the Danish teachers union, the National Teachers Union of Britain and the American Federation of Teachers.

“To run a reserve account is an international practice which the union has embraced,” noted Sossion.

He announced that the union membership had grown from 184,000 members to 200,000 over the past one year.  There has been a stand-off between Knut and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education (Kuppet) over membership, and Sossion said Knut’s numbers have shot due to an exodus from Kuppet.

“We are also targeting to register over 70,000 teachers in ECD centres following amendment of our constitution during the Nakuru ADC,” added Sossion, who further revealed Knut was also targeting teachers in private schools.

He said following the amendment, the union was to take-up the matter with the Registrar of  Trade Unions to allow ECD teachers to join its rank. Knut has been on the fore-front pushing TSC to employ ECD teachers

Currently, the union which has 110 branches countrywide draws its membership from teachers in primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

“Our management structure is not dictated by government structures. We enjoy our liberty and right to organise,” explained Sossion. The union has a four tie system with structures at the branch, county, region and national level.

The union is also in the process of reviewing its five-year strategic plan which expired last year. “We are going to remain neutral, without taking any political sides. Our members belong to all parties but the union leadership remains non-partisan,” he said.