Kuppet threatens to sue State over ‘confusing’ Bill

By Bryan Tumwa

Vihiga County

A teachers’ union has threatened court action if the Government does not amend a Bill it claims waters down the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) powers.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has opposed the Technical and Vocation Education Training (Tivet) Bill, which creates an authority that has similar functions with the TSC.

President Kibaki signed the Tivet Bill on Tuesday, which forms the Technical and Vocation Education Training Authority (Tiveta), with powers to hire teachers just like the TSC does.

Vihiga County Kuppet Executive Secretary Nickson Amendi claimed the Bill was authored with malicious intentions, which would lead to confusion between the new authority and the TSC. He said the union would go to court as a last resort if the Bill is not amended.

“TSC is a constitutional institution and should be treated as such. It is unfair for the President to assent to a Bill which waters down the powers of the teachers’ employer even after Kuppet petitioned him not to,” said Mr Amendi.

TSC and the Kenya National Union of Teachers had earlier voiced their opposition to the Bill, saying it would make it cumbersome for teachers to access services.

The new law takes away powers of the commission to manage teachers’ affairs in mid-level institutions.