Education CS Matiang’i: CBA to be paid in two phases

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i . (Photo: Kipsang Joseph/Standard)

Learning in public universities is now uncertain after the Government said workers salary raise will be implemented in two phases.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i Saturday said the Sh10 billion will be spread across two financial years.

“The implementation of the Collective bargaining Agreement (CBA) would straddle the two-financial years 2016/2017 and 2017/2018,” Dr Matiang’i said.

He announced that the Ministry of Education has wired Sh4.8 billion into the respective bank accounts of 31 public universities and colleges.

“The rest of the amount would come from the 2017/2018 Financial Year,” he said.

The government signed a CBA with University Academic Staff Union and the Kenya University Staff Union (Kusu).

Officials of Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions Hospital and Allied, also sighed the deal.

The CBAs were concluded before the end of the financial year 2016/2017.

The unions said they signed the CBA backed by the government commitment through a letter dated February 10, making available Sh10 billion to cover basic salary and house allowance.

Speaking separately, the union officials maintained that the planned strike is on.

“We don’t have any communication from the ministry or from the employers so nothing has changed,” said Kusu secretary general Charles Mukhwaya,

Uasu secretary general Constantine Wasonga maintained that workers want full settlement of the CBA.

“This was a historical CBA and we must get done with it to start fresh talks for next phase. We can promise the government a hostile strike against them,” he said.

Matiang’i appealed to the workers to suspend the planned strike saying the government was committed to address their grievances. “The government reiterates its commitment to meet its side of the bargain and the unions and respective staff are advised accordingly,” he said.

But Uasu said it is unfortunate that students will be sent home again because of a failed promise by the government. “The government is to blame for the resumption of the strike and the impending collapse of the higher education sector,” said Wasonga.