School heads: We won't go on strike in September

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion at a past function. He has insisted teachers would strike if TSC does not drop policies deemed disadvantageous to tutors. [File, Standard]

Primary school heads have opposed Kenya National Union of Teachers' calls for a strike, saying they have not been properly briefed.

The teachers, who arrived in Mombasa on Sunday for their week-long annual conference that starts today, urged Knut and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to dialogue to avert the strike.

“We cannot just join the bandwagon. The agenda for the strike has not been well explained to us and hence we cannot support it,” said Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) national chairman Shem Ndolo.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion called for the strike on September 1. Mr Sossion, a nominaed ODM MP, is scheduled to address the conference on Thursday morning. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta will address the 14th Kepsha annual delegates conference at Sheikh Zayed Centre Hall in Mombasa tomorrow.

Mr Ndolo was flanked by Kisauni deputy County Commissioner Kipchumba Rutto, Kepsha Secretary General David Mavuta and treasurer Josephat Otiende, among other officials.

The theme of the conference is: “Education and Skills Agenda: Accelerating Progress Towards Vision 2030.”

The keynote address entitled, “Matching Skills Training to the Work Place Requirements, the Opportunities for Vision 2030’ will be delivered by Director General, Technical and Vocational Education and Training Kipkurui Langat.

The venue was a beehive of activity with exhibitors setting up tents and school buses roaring into the coastal city bringing school heads.