Teachers threaten to boycott KCSE

By Samuel Otieno

Teachers are threatening to disrupt the ongoing secondary school examinations if their hardship allowances are not reinstated.

The teachers have threatened to withdraw invigilation and supervisory services for the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations if a row with the Ministry of Public Service about hardship allowances is not resolved.

They are particularly disquieted with the decision to slash allowances given to teachers and civil servants working in places considered hardship areas. They claim the decision to degazette areas classified as hardship zones was done without consulting the union.

Knut Secretary-General Lawrence Majali (right) and Chairman George Wesonga address the press in Nairobi. PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD

Teachers claim the Government should bear responsibility for any exam disruptions, and promised action should the matter not be resolved amicably. They particularly singled out the Minister for Public Service, Dalmas Otieno, for blame saying the decision to slash hardship allowances had been done without considering the plight of teachers working in hardship areas.

"Otieno should bear the consequences if teachers boycott the examinations," said Knut Secretary General Lawrence Majali. He added: "In our view, we see it as an act of impunity for a minister to issue a statement negating what is provided for by an Act of Parliament, without having the law repealed," The Knut boss said while there is nothing fundamentally wrong with changes and reforms, the same must be done through legally established mechanisms.

A total of 16,423 invigilators and 5,396 supervisors, mostly teachers, are supervising the KCSE examinations. Some 337,371 candidates are currently sitting their KCSE examinations.

Recently, Otieno de-gazetted 25 regions previously considered hardship areas. In addition, he scrapped the awarding of hardship allowance on a percentage basis. Instead, a fixed amount will be given. Those working in moderate hardship areas will be paid Sh5,000, while those in extreme hardship areas will get Sh10,000 regardless of gender and marital status.

Addressing a press conference in Nairobi on Friday, Majali claimed the Government was insensitive to the plight of thousands of teachers rendering critical services even in extreme conditions.

Its branches around the country supported Knut’s move. Teachers from Western Province said it would not be business as usual if the Government sticks to its move to abolish hardship allowances.

Knut Western Branch chairman Kepher Kisali said they reject the Government’s decision and warned of dire consequences, including going on strike, if the move is not rescinded.

"We are not going lie low and the Government should stop treating us as inferior when compared to other civil servants," he said.

He warned that teachers would use their networks to force the Government to rethink and review the decision to slash the hardship allowances.

Tough choices

"Why should it be that every time the Government makes any adjustments, teachers must bear the pain yet all these policy makers are products of our hands?" he posed.

In Meru, Knut and the Meru South County Council chairman protested against non-inclusion of the remote Igamba Ng’ombe division as a hardship zone. Knut branch Executive Secretary Germano Nyaga and the Council chairman Nelson Karagita said the situation was driving away teachers and other civil servants unwilling to work under harsh conditions without adequate compensation.

"We are unable to attract and retain civil servants. The area needs to be classified as a hardship zone," said the Knut official.

Nyaga said although Igamba Ng’ombe had been recommended for classification as a hardship zone, he was surprised that it was not included in the new list. The division is in the middle of the remote Mbeere and Tharaka districts.

Low morale

In Kieni, over 2,000 teachers threatened to move to court to compel the Government to reclassify the area as a hardship zone. Kieni, which borders Laikipia in the Rift Valley, is one of the driest and remote areas of Central Province.

Joining the protest over the exclusion of some areas was Kieni MP Nemeysus Warugongo who described the move as ill advised. He said it was unfortunate that the Government was withdrawing the allowances just when teachers had been convinced to serve in the marginalised areas.

"You can be sure that the morale of these teachers would be very low since they expect a pay cut. The Government ought to reconsider its decision," the MP said.

Teachers in Central Province also expressed outrage at the Government’s decision. The Knut Provincial Council on Friday said it would petition the Ministry of Education to intervene and have the areas reinstated. It said more areas should be classified as hardship areas and promised to oppose the declassification of areas like Gatanga, Maragwa and Kieni.

The chairman of the council, Mr Isaac Chege Karatasi, said the union would not allow teachers in previously regarded hardship areas to have their allowances chopped.

"We are not taking these directives lightly. This is a very explosive issue, which the Government should not treat casually," warned Karatasi.

The threats also received support from rival organisation, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (Kuppet). Speaking in Nairobi after a National Executive Committee meeting, Kuppet’ Secretary General Njeru Kanyamba called on the Government to rescind its decision to degazette some areas or brace for an industrial action. He argued that current allowances should remain pending talks and agreements with interested parties and stakeholders.

"It is funny the Government acted unilaterally in degazetting some areas. Roads, water and electricity cannot be used as indicators of progress. These have no economic relevance that can trickle down to teachers," Kanyamba said. "Even if there is tarmac, is it going up to the schools and homes? Does that water reach every teacher’s house?"

Innocent students

Kuppet called on the Minister for Education to convene an emergency meeting to address the teachers’ grievances before the issue degenerates into an industrial action.

"But the status quo should remain as regards hardship areas because nothing has changed in places like North Eastern Province, Mbeere, Mwingi and others," he said.

Amid the threats, however, the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) appealed to Knut to be sensitive to the plight of thousands of candidates sitting examinations.

"The union should hit at the Government and not target the children. There is a possibility that even they have children who are sitting the examinations," said Mrs Edah Muiruri, Knec deputy secretary in charge of field operations. Muiruri asked the teachers to direct their anger at the Government instead of innocent children.

— Additional Reporting By Ramadhan Rajab Roselyne Obala, Patrick Muriungi, Francis Ngige and Job Weru.