The education sector in Kenya faces disruptions as teachers’ unions issue strike warnings ahead of the third term reopening in August. The core of the dispute revolves around unmet salary agreements and budget cuts affecting the education sector.
During the Special Games competitions in Busia County, Moffat Okisai, representing the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), delivered a stark ultimatum:
“We are closing schools by Friday and in case the government of the day is not going to honor the last phase of our CBA of 9.5%, schools will not reopen.”
Okisai emphasized the critical role of educators and called for the implementation of a circular issued on August 7th to the Salaries Remuneration Commission (SRC) for both public officers and teachers.
Teachers’ Unions Unite in Opposition to Budget Cuts
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has joined the fray, threatening a nationwide strike if the National Treasury doesn’t reverse its decision to cut Ksh 10 billion from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) budget for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
KNUT Chairperson Charles Karinga strongly condemned the budget reduction, describing it as both immoral and illegal. He stressed the importance of honoring the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA):
“Teachers are therefore called on by TSC to use all means within its reach to ensure that agreement which is legal and still binding is honored through compelling the National Assembly to approve TSC Ksh357 billion budget without Amendment. If this one is not met, we may do otherwise.”
KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu reiterated that the CBA, signed in 2021, was a legally binding document recognized by the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
SC Faces Mounting Pressure
KUPPET has accused the government of implementing drastic cuts to social spending, particularly in the education sector. The union expressed concern over the government’s plans to employ 20,000 new teachers and convert 46,000 interns to permanent and pensionable terms, given the current budget constraints.
These strike threats follow recent protests by Junior Secondary School interns across the country, who were pushing for permanent employment terms. On May 12, Nairobi County JSS interns, led by Chairperson Owino Okelo, marched from the Nairobi bus terminus to TSC headquarters to voice their demands.
This comes after Prime CS Mudavadi flagged off 67 teachers to take up teaching jobs in the US.
