- The deal comes as the strike, which entered its second week on Monday, prompted some schools to send learners back home.
- Kuppet's Akelo Misori said further communicaiton shall be made by the union based on the outcome of a court ruling expected on Thursday.
Image: FILE
Kuppet has called off the teachers' strike after reaching a deal with the Teachers Service Commission.
The deal comes as the strike, which entered its second week on Monday, prompted some schools to send learners back home.
The agreement to call off the strike was reached Monday evening, with TSC assuring that no teacher will be victimised.
The remaining issues will be resolved during the suspension of the strike, Kuppet secretary general Akelo Misori said.
"From the union side, we suspend the strike and ask all our teachers to go back to class pending the speedy resolution of these matters as already agreed on between us and the commission," he said.
Misori said further communicaiton will be made by the union based on the outcome of a court ruling expected on Thursday.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia said the parties agreed to pursue alternative dispute resolution as provided for in the recognition agreement between the union and the commission.
Kuppet teachers have been on strike since Monday, August 16, 2024.
They were pushing for, among other issues, promotion of 130,000 teachers, absorption of 46,000 JSS teachers on permanent and pensionable terms and remittance of statutory deductions and loans.
They also demanded the full implementation of their 2021-25 CBA, payment of all emoluments for July and release of Sh15 billion for their medical cover.
"After a daylong meeting, we are happy to report to the nation that we have reached an amicable settlement which will enable out teachers resume duty immediately," Macharia said.
The TSC boss reiterated that the government provided funds for the implementation of phase II of the teachers' CBA and the arrears due.
"Therefore, the government has implemented all the provisions of the 2021-25 CBA with the teacher unions specifically the second phase of the CBA which was due on July 1, 2024," she said.
The CEO said the monies were paid in August together with all the arrears.
Status of issues at hand
- Review of career progression guidelines - started and ongoing
- Remittance of third party deductions - resolved
- Medical scheme - Teachers can access public and private hospitals
- Transition to CBC - Resources provided for retooling of JSS teachers
- Promotion of teachers - 51,232 teachers promoted; TSC to effect more promotions once Parliament avails funds
- Commencement of new CBA negotiations - To start once Kuppet submits demands
"Parties have agreed that any other pending issue(s) will be resolved through bi-partite negotiations as is the practice," Macharia said.
The deal applies to all teacher unions, including Knut and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET).
"To this end, the Commission issued the implementation circular to all teacher unions including Kuppet as envisaged in the CBA 2021-2025," the TSC boss added.