The Kenya National Union of Teachers has said the Teachers Service Commission failed to fully engage them in the drafting of the TSC amendment Bill which affects teachers.
Knut wrote to TSC in a letter dated February 6, saying the Union feels the commission deliberately and strategically avoided their participation from the beginning in the drafting of the amendment Bill.
Union's Secretary General Collins Oyuu said they play a crucial role in representing teachers, adding that public participation is required on any amendments affecting teachers.
Knut and TSC were to hold a stakeholder's engagement forum on Wednesday, February 7 to review the Bill but Knut declined to attend.
Oyuu said the Amendment Bill does not serve the interests of the teachers.
"The TSC Act from which the code of regulations for teachers shall be made is meant to make teachers work and work environment better and not otherwise," Oyuu said.
Oyuu said the Union first learnt of reviewing the Bill during the launch of TSC's your strategic plan which was done on 6th June, 2023 at the Kenya School of Government.
He said later, TSC started engaging Knut's grassroots leaders seeking their opinions on the envisioned areas of change.
"We then wrote to you on November 2, 2023, asking that we be made aware of the same so that we can engage our technical team," he said.
Oyuu said TSC responded on November 6, 2023, saying that no such engagement was happening.
He said TSC said they would officially invite Knut for stakeholder and public participation when the process of review begins.
"The process is now towards its tail end and this is when you are remembering to officially put us on board," he lamented.
Further, Oyuu lamented that when TSC went out to collect views through town hall meetings, the Commission did not allow Knut officials to give their contributions and stated that the views of the union would be taken up at an advanced level.
"All these are manoeuvres, innuendoes and malicious acts that do not mean well for teachers and more specifically for the fair working relationship we continue to enjoy," the letter reads in part.
Oyuu sought that the Commission give Knut two months to adequately prepare on contentious areas already cited in the amendment bill.
"Consequently, we are requesting for a special engagement with the commission within 7 days as senior stakeholders where we shall share our contribution from the draft," he said.
"We know that the commission spent quality time on developing proposals for amendments, why should KNUT, a central stakeholder only take 2 days?"