Teachers’ adamant on strike threat

Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia.

Teachers appear hell-bent on boycotting work, casting a dark shadow on schools re-opening next week.

The fate of 10 million children looking forward to a new school term is still unknown.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are yet to meet for crisis talks.

The talks are supposed to resolve an impasse where TSC is insisting on the mass transfer of 3,000 teachers, while Knut is opposed to the move.

Knut has said there will be no talks until TSC suspends the transfers.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani has constituted a conciliation committee to spearhead the mediation, even as the Government plays down the heat between Knut and TSC.

“A preparatory meeting has taken place already. I am scheduled to have a meeting with the conciliation team today to get brief on their progress,” said Mr Yattani.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion yesterday said no meeting had been called to bring both parties to the table.

Handing over

TSC has been adamant that all the primary school headmasters and high school principals who have received transfer letters should have moved to their new stations by close of business today.

“TSC county directors should ensure that handing over of duties by the transferred teachers will have been concluded by December 28, 2018, and a status report submitted to the Director for staffing by December 31, 2018,” said TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia.

The hardline stand by both parties and the delay by the conciliator to call a meeting means that schools may not open next week on Thursday.

This is likely to cause anxiety for parents and learners at the start of the first term.

Even though Yattani last week pleaded with both TSC and the teachers' union to loosen their positions and give talks a chance, none of the parties has ceded ground.

“We have stated clearly that for us to move to any talking table the transfers must be suspended," said Mr Sossion.

"And if this handing over and taking over business continues, we are firmly rallying our members to strike.”

Sossion said previous talks organised by the Ministry of Labour had stalled and cautioned nothing should be expected from new ones.