Kuppet strike: Empty classes as teachers take to the streets

Members of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have maintained that they will continue with their strike until the government heeds to their demands.

This has been demonstrated by the poor attendance witnessed in secondary schools countrywide on day one of the third term.

A spot check by the KNA of secondary schools in Changamwe subcounty reveals that most teachers are out of school and the schools have low student attendance.

Moses Israel, a parent of Bomu Secondary School, said the strike will have far-reaching consequences for the learners, especially Form Four students, as the syllabus may not be completed on time.

“The students will not be able to achieve their targets,” Israel said.

“For parents whose children are in day schools, let the learners just go to school. Students will not have much control if they stay at home, but at school, even if teachers are not in class, they will have group discussions guided by teachers who are around, and the school environment is safer than leaving a child at home."

Bomu School Board of Management (BoM) Chairman George Mbogholi said the school has a student population of 583, but only 26 are in school.

Ten teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) boycotted classes, with only 12 employed by BoM present in school.

 “I don’t know if they informed the principal of their absence because it is his responsibility. We have 121 candidates set to sit for KCSE; only 11 are in school, I don’t know if their parents discouraged them from coming,” Mbogholi said.

In Bomet County, secondary school students from various schools across were seen teeming at the bus terminus in Bomet Town on Monday morning.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the strike, which has led to disruptions in academic schedules, some students remain focused on their education and are taking proactive steps to ensure they are ready for the new school term.

Meanwhile, teachers allied with Kuppet vowed not to return to class until the government addressed their demands.

The tutors in Bungoma, Kisii, Eldoret, and Mombasa held demonstrations to mark the start of their strike.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Busia branch kicked off their strike with a peaceful demonstration in the town as secondary schools remain closed across the county.

Led by their County Executive Secretary, Moffats Okisai, the teachers in Busia county faulted their employer (TSC) for failing to honour the implementation of the phase two of their 2021-25 CBA and confirmation of JSS teachers to permanent and pensionable terms.

“Our demands as the union include immediate implementation of the second phase of the CBA. If we want to have quality education in our schools, the presence of human resources is very paramount. CBC cannot succeed when we don’t have teachers," Okisai said.

"Intern teachers cannot be paid Sh17,000; this is a disgrace to our teachers, and that’s the reason we are calling for immediate confirmation of our JSS teachers on a permanent and pensionable basis."

In Kakamega, teachers gathered at the Kuppet offices in Kakamega town before marching to the Regional Commissioners offices, where they presented a petition to the Western Regional Director of Teachers Service Commission, Joseph Oduor Mugele.

Mugele acknowledged that there are emerging issues in the teacher’s profession that need a conversation to make the teaching profession better for the teachers to be able to serve the children of this country with the utmost peace and motivation.

“On the issue of stagnation, the TSC does not generate any revenue, we rely entirely on the national treasury to provide us with funds for all of our operations. So if we get money from the treasury that will be sufficient to promote everybody who has stagnated, the commission has no obligation but to promote such teachers," Mugele said.

In Kericho, irate teachers carried placards while chanting slogans demanding significant improvements in their working conditions, fair promotions, and the harmonisation of allowances, saying teachers had for many years stagnated in one job group with no promotions.

“Teachers have for long stagnated in job groups, we go for interviews, and we are not promoted without any explanation or reason at all. Teachers get salary cuts immediately after being promoted.

"We ask the TSC to listen and review the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG),” Kericho county Kuppet executive secretary, Mary Rotich said.