Education Cabinet Secretary nominee Julius Migosi Ogamba is hoping that teachers will agree to defer implementation of the second phase of their 2021-25 CBA with the Teachers Service Commission.
Ogamba said the amount of resources available to the government has reduced following the withdrawal of Finance Bill 2024 and the court judgement that declared the Finance Act 2023 unconstitutional.
Appearing before MPs on Thursday for vetting, Ogamba said the looming strike by teachers would based on the implementation of the CBA.
“We should have a clear and forthright discussion with unions and come up with solutions because they also live in this country,” he said.
He noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic teacher unions and TSC agreed to sign a non-monetary CBA.
“It was not possible to sign a monetary CBA at the time. It gives me hope that these are Kenyans and they see the situation on the ground,” he said.
“We will agree and come up with a working even if it is to defer some of their demands so that they do not go on strike.”
A House committee had earlier warned that teachers may resort to strikes following the government’s move to reduce the recurrent budget of TSC by Sh10.2 billion.
The Departmental Committee on Education, in its report on the consideration of the Financial Year 2024-25 Supplementary Budget Estimates No. 1 for the Ministry of Education and TSC noted that of the total amount reduced, Sh10 billion was for the implementation of CBA between the commission and teachers unions.
“The implication of this is that teachers will not receive salary increments envisaged in the CBA,” committee chair Julius Melly said in the report.
Melly added that the reduction may lead to industrial unrest and disruption of teaching and learning in public schools as well as litigations in courts.
“Industrial unrest is something which this government may not which to deal with at this time given the current unease situation in the country hence the need to ensure that this allocation is provided,” the committee advised.
He said the government should reinstate the allocation to enable the commission to implement the second phase of the 2021-25 CBA.