The Kenya National Union of Teachers in Homa Bay has urged parents to keep their children from school from next Monday.
The teachers are complying with the directive by Knut national officials who announced the start of downing of tools as the third term begins.
Patrick Were who is the county Knut secretary said they had agreed that no teacher will report on duty from Monday should the government fail to comply with their demands.
Teachers accused the Teachers Service Commission of failing to implement the second phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement of the 2021-2025 which they signed with the government.
“The government through the TSC has failed to remit the third party deductions, failed to recruit 46,000 Junior Secondary School teachers on permanent and pensionable terms. TSC does not want to recruit additional 20,000 teachers,” Were said.
The other grievances included failure by the TSC to promote 130,000 teachers who had stagnated in job groups for years and failure to remit funds for teachers’ medical insurance.
Addressing the press after their meeting at the Knut offices in Homa Bay town on Tuesday, Were who was accompanied by union's Homa Bay branch executive secretary Cornel Ojuok, his counterparts Salome Olambo (Suba) and Jared Osati (Rachuonyo), claimed that TSC is deliberately frustrating teachers.
Were said it was impossible for 130,000 teachers who were interviewed for promotion to fail the interviews.
“The teachers participated in interviews for promotion but were not promoted. It is not possible for all the 130,000 teachers to fail. They must be promoted this time,” he said.
The secretary argued that many teachers and their families could not get medical services because their insurance funds are not remitted.
“It is also disheartening that JSS teachers are paid a paltry Sh17,000 yet they are graduates. They must be confirmed to permanent and pensionable terms,” he added.
Ojuok told parents to avoid taking their children to schools starting Monday saying they will paralyse learning in private schools too.
“Let no parent take their child to school. We are also telling private school teachers to avoid going to school,” Ojuok said.
Olambo said they will hold demonstrations on roads until the government listens to their grievances.
“Even the capitation fee has been reduced drastically, giving head teachers a hard time to manage schools. This must also be addressed,” Olambo said.
According to Osati, failure to pay teachers the money they deserve interferes with economic growth.
“Teachers contribute a lot to cash flow. Failure to pay teachers well jeopardises economic growth,” Osati said.
