TSC now moves to scuttle looming teachers’ strike

Teachers Service Commission Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni adresses the Press after meeting Knut officials at TSC headquarters. [PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE/ STANDARD]

Kenya: Teachers will know whether to go on strike or not at the end of the month when their employer responds to demands made by unions.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) yesterday said it was currently studying more than 40 demands made by both Kenya National Union of Teacher (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), with a view to ending the looming strike.

In a move to scuttle the looming strike ahead of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams, TSC has received the demands of the unions and will only give them a substantive deal when they meet at the end of the month.

TSC Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni in a press statement indicated that after the analysis, they will table the Government's response at a meeting with the unions for further negotiations.

"The commission will respond appropriately during the next round of negotiations on September 30. The outcome of the negotiations will form the basis for the collecting bargaining agreement expected to commence in July 2015," he said.

The negotiations are centred around more than 40 demands, the main ones being an increase in basic salary by between 180 to 200 per cent, increase in house allowance by up to 50 per cent of basic salary and payment of leave allowance, among others. Lengoiboni noted that in the meantime, TSC is consulting with relevant Government agencies including the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to see whether the teachers' demands can be met. "The Government has continued to devote enormous resources, even under severe budgetary constraints to improve the terms and conditions of service for teachers," he said.

He appealed to all education stakeholders to be patient and understanding as TSC engages with the unions and the relevant Government agencies for an amicable solution.