Education PS urges Kuppet to call off teachers' strike

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has called on Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) to acknowledge the government's commitment to address their demands and allow its members go back to class.

The PS said secondary school learners need to prepare for national exams that are due in October.

Speaking during inspection of back-to-school programme and preparedness for Grade 9, in Narok county, Dr Kipsang said notwithstanding the economic difficulty in the country, the government has released Sh13.5 billion for implementation of the second phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) starting July 1, 2024.

This comes after Kuppet, Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (Kusnet) issued strike notices to demand full implementation of the 2021-2025 CBA agreement.

The PS who toured Masikonde Primary School, Maasai Girls and Narok Boys High Schools in Narok North, said the government has also released Sh21.8 billion for capitation including Sh14 billion for secondary schools, Sh6 billion for Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), and Sh1.6 billion for primary schools.

"We are aware as government that secondary schools will be buying lab materials to prepare learners and we have made sure before schools open capitation was released and by Tuesday all schools have received their allocation," he said.

Kipsang further announced that the government is building 17,000 classrooms to accommodate Grade 9 learners in JSS next year.

The PS thanked Knut for withdrawing the strike notice and assured of the government's commitment to address teachers' grievances and implement education agenda saying 11,000 classrooms are being developed with support of development partners while 7,000 classes are being constructed through NG-CDF.

"By October we will be distributing books for grade 9, and as well we will be recruiting 20,000 teachers in addition to the 56,000 recruited last year to take care of the growing number of learners in all levels," he added.

Kipsang spoke after Narok Kuppet branch officials led members to kick off the strike accusing the Teachers Service Commission of failing to fully implement the 2021/25 CBA.

Kuppet led by Narok branch executive secretary Charles Ngeno and Chairman Samson Soit demanded promotion of 130,000 teachers who have stagnated in one job group and employment of intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms effective July 2024.

Ngeno claimed that the teachers medical cover is on the verge of collapse despite the allocation of Sh8 billion in the current financial year.

"We are also demanding confirmation of JSS teachers, promotion of 130,000 teachers who have stagnated in one job group for over 10 years and we are demanding career progression guidelines be renewed," he said.

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