Teachers threaten to boycott national exams over unpaid allowances

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori says delayed payment of allowances has left teachers frustrated. [File, Standard]

Teachers unions have threatened to boycott administering this year's national examinations unless invigilators, supervisors and center managers are paid their outstanding allowances by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut} and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have directed their members not to administer this year's national examination until they are paid outstanding dues.

This came despite the government releasing Sh1.5 billion through the National Treasury to KNEC to pay teachers who supervised and managed last year's national examinations. However, the unions say that thousands of the teachers are yet to receive their payments months after the government announced the release of funds.

The teachers led by Knut National Chairman Patrick Karinga demanded the release of the allowances for supervision and invigilation for the 2025 examinations.

''We want money for supervision and invigilation for the 2025 examinations. If that doesn't happen, don't expect any teacher to participate in any invigilation or supervision in 2026,'' he said.

Speaking at a funeral in Gatero village, the officials warned that the delay in payments would undermine preparations for this year's examinations.

The unions said only the teachers who served as examiners have received payments.

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori said that the delays have left thousands of teachers frustrated, as many spend weeks away from their families under difficult conditions while supervising the examinations only to wait for months before receiving their allowances.

''It is unacceptable for teachers to work under such demanding conditions and then wait almost a year to be paid. Many supervisors, invigilators and centre managers have not received a single shilling despite the government's announcement that funds had been released,'' he said.

For more than a decade, invigilators have earned Sh400 per day, supervisors Sh450 per day and centre managers Sh500 per day before the rates were reviewed upwards by Sh50 in 2024 following pressure from Kuppet. Meaning the invigilators now get Sh450 per day, supervisors Sh 500 per day and centre managers Sh550 per day.

The unions argue that the delayed payments reflect failure by the government to plan adequately and finance one of the country's most important education exercises.

They maintain that while teachers shoulder the responsibility of collecting examination papers before dawn, supervising candidates and safeguarding the integrity of the examinations under difficult conditions, they continue to receive what they describe as ''meagre'' allowances months after completing the assignment.

Basic Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa recently said the ministry is working with the National Treasury to finalise payments for the remaining teachers through KNEC's Contracted Professionals (CP2) system and assured them that the money would be released once the verification process is complete.

However, Knut and Kuppet maintained that only actual payment, not promises, will persuade teachers to administer the national examinations.