High school teachers down tools as primary records low turnout

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Machakos branch led by Executive Secretary Musembi Katuku (Centre) during a press conference in Machakos town on August 26, 2024. [John Muia, Standard] Confusion marked yesterday's schools reopening for the third term after teachers unions gave conflicting calls on whether to proceed with the strike. Sharp divisions became evident between officials of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet). While Knut members reported to schools, their counterparts in Kuppet began their strike to push for implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA). According to the school calendar released by the Ministry of Education, term 3, the final term of the academic year, will last nine weeks, from August 26 to October 25, 2024. The Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) and Intermediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) examinations are scheduled for October 28 to 31. The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) national exams will be held between November 4 and November 22, 2024. A spot check in different parts of the country revealed paralysis in secondary schools as public primary schools re-opened In Nakuru County, Kuppet officials vowed to stay away from school until their demands were met. Union secretary general Duncan Macharia regretted that the government and Teachers Service Commission(TSC) failed to heed their demands to review the CBA. "We have 420 schools in Nakuru that will not open following the strike; parents understand our position," he said. His chairman, Symon Waita, said they will not relent in fighting injustice over the years. In Naivasha and Gilgil, schools reported low turnout with parents claiming they needed to be assured that the union had called off its national strike. According to Eskimos Kobia, the Secretary General of the National Parents Association (NPA), the education sector is in trouble due to the state's lack of commitment. He said that no school nationwide has received any penny from the government despite the recent circular released by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. "As students reported for the first day, the school management does not have funds to buy basic items like learning materials and food, meaning another crisis," he said. In Nyeri, hundreds of teachers who are members of Kuppet joined the nationwide strike marching through the streets of Nyeri Town. Kuppet Nyeri branch secretary Francis Wanjohi, said the strike is ongoing, and parents should not send their children to school. "We are not going back to school. Let your children stay at home where they are safe. We are here to send a clear message to the TSC: They must fulfill their legal obligations and make sure our demands are met," he said. He added that teachers under Kuppet in Nyeri will refrain from engaging in any dialogue with school head teachers or principals who are persuading them to return to classes. "We have heard that some school principals are engaging our teachers, persuading them not to participate in the nationwide strike. However, we want to tell our members not to be persuaded," he said. He added that the critical demands of the striking teachers include the immediate promotion of 130,000 teachers who have been "stagnating" in their current job grades and the transition of all intern teachers to permanent status by July 2024. In Laikipia, primary schools re-opened yesterday without hitches. According to Laikipia Knut Executive Secretary Francis Itegi, almost all students had reported to their respective schools by yesterday morning. "We have advised all teachers to report to school following the end of the strike notice," he said. The case was the same in Nyandarua County. Nyandarua Kuppet Executive Secretary Julius Macharia said all the secondary day schools had been opened. "We have reports that all of them have been opened. No ugly incidents have been reported since the strike was cancelled," he said. In Homa Bay County, many schools reported low turnout due to uncertainty over the teachers' strike. The Standard established that many parents and pupils were confused by the ongoing strike of teachers allied to Kuppet. Primary school pupils' failure to report to school was attributed to their parents' failure to differentiate between Knut and Kuppet. At Shauri Yako Primary School in Homa Bay Town, less than 100 pupils reported to school compared to the total school population of 1850 learners. Deputy headteacher Fred Akello said all teachers reported to work."Maybe some parents think all teachers are still on strike," Akello said In Kericho County, Kuppet branch members led by executive Mary Rotich joined the nationwide strike. Addressing a gathering of teachers at Moi Garden, Rotich described the first day of the strike as merely a "warm-up," emphasising the union's resolve to fight for their rights. "The TSC intends to withhold our salaries to make us yield, but we will not accept to be blackmailed or intimidated. TSC should have implemented the CBA without us asking for it, but they have shown no goodwill," Rotich claimed. In Meru, Kuppet teachers staged a demonstration along the streets of Meru town and maintained they would not report to their respective schools. Benson Mugambi, a teacher at St James Tutua, said he was supporting their teachers' course for better terms. "Teaching is a profession just like any other, and we need a lot of respect," he said, adding that "it is now or never". Kenneth Gikundi, a Junior Secondary teacher, said they were tired of waiting to be confirmed as employees on permanent and pensionable terms. "We are tired of waiting for so long. Teaching is no longer a calling. It is a profession, and teachers need to be well paid. You cannot pay a teacher Sh17,000 and expect him to teach the children to qualify for university. How will we educate our children up to university?" Gikundi posed. In Mombasa, police ordered the teachers under the Kuppet not to demonstrate in the streets saying they had not been allowed to do so. Report by Antony Gitonga, Yvonne Chepkwony, James Munyeki, James Omoro, Amos Kiarie, Nikko Tanui, Phares Mutembei, Willis Oketch and Renson Mnyamwezi

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