demands for 60 percent pay rise, de-localization of teachers dominate 62nd National delegates meeting
Collins Oyuu Knut- Secretary General
By Wycliff Odera
Over 2,000 delegates representing over 130 KNUT branches in Kenya, are meeting in Kisumu, for their 62nd National delegates meeting
According to the organizing committee, the demands for 60 percent pay rise, de-localization of teachers, Review of the education curriculum talks will dominate the 62nd Annual Delegates Conference.
Others to be discussed include the push for the reintroduction of teachers’ appeals tribunal to handle disciplinary cases.
Over 2000 delegates have started flocking into the lakeside city ready for the meeting at the Citam Church.
According to the KNUT national secretary general Mr Collins Oyuu , high ranking national leaders and officials , from other unions and teacher organizations, corporate institutions, friends of teachers amongst others.
Oyuu said they expect heavy resolutions from the conference that will propel the agenda of the year 2023 in leading teachers in matters of labour.
He said teachers are expectant about the way the sector will abbreviate especially with major education reviews as the new government takes shape.
He said the points shall form the discussions amongst the delegates and expect very positive and encouraging deliberation and discussion from all the delegates across the public
Other issued to be discussed he said include employment of more teachers to cushion the teacher’s shortage in the country which shall begin in the first term 2023 January
“Government through the TSC has already advertised about 35,550 for both primary and secondary school teachers,”.
The review of the education system Oyuu added will accommodate stakeholders’ views running from public education to tertiary.
“You know very well we missed a point as you were rolling out the Competency Based Curriculum and that is why the President had to come in very first. We have to thank him for coming in time to stop the train that had already left the station”.
He said the government education charter shall also be in discussion and what is there in the same charge for teachers, the funding of education, improving on available influences, Review of some policies that have posed danger to the education sector.
“Promotion of teachers which was shifted from academic qualifications to appraisal model,This matter has been discussed in different forums including the national assembly to have promotion on academic qualifications brought back so as to benefit teachers who really invested on the same by taking loans to further their education”.
On de-localization, he said the deployment and transfer of teacher’s which has affected families we shall discuss because most of our members are affected.
“Most of these policies I want to say are dictatorial in nature and were done without proper consultation with the stakeholder. It is coming out that they are no longer attainable to our teacher’s.
However, in their 2021 CBA, Oyuu said they shall apply the review clause of the CBA that actually requires both parties to sit back again and renegotiate the terms and conditions of service to our members right from monetary benefits to the other benefits.
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