Teachers’ security during this examination period, a better 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and plans to form a federation of all teacher unions in Kenya are among the emerging issues that top the ongoing Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) regional meetings.
The union has assured its members of enhanced salaries in the next cycle of 2025-2029 CBA, with KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu revealing that they have engaged technocrats to draft a new CBA, which he says has the interest of teachers at heart as its key focus is on a monetary component.
“We must fast track the content of this CBA and we are using technocrats, serious consultants, who have come up with serious matters affecting our teachers,” said Oyuu.
Speaking in Kisumu after a meeting with Nyanza Regional KNUT Council, Oyuu highlighted the career progression guidelines as a key agenda.
“We must deal with the career progression guidelines and put our foot forward for a proper CBA. A strike is the last weapon, the last bullet in our gun, that is why we did not go to the streets,” he said, referring to the strike notice they had issued and cancelled earlier.
He said delegates will meet towards the end of the year in order to chart the way forward so that all outstanding issues affecting its members will be dealt with ‘blow by blow’.
Oyuu later revealed plans to form a federation of all teacher unions in Kenya when he addressed teachers during the Teso Branch 18th AGM at KNUT Hall in Amagoro in October, pointing out that teachers around East African have a federation.
“The only way forward for teachers in Kenya is to seek one frontier in a bid to have one single federation,” Oyuu noted, arguing that huge debts, especially for young teachers, had aggravated mental illnesses.
Teachers’ security
The union also asked the government to return the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) helicopters which used to airlift teachers to and from the insecure Boni Forest in Lamu County.
Speaking in Lamu during the branch’s AGM, First National Vice Chairman Malel Lang’at complained that the recent withdrawal of the helicopters will greatly affect the education standards in the region.
“With the withdrawal of KDF choppers in the recent past, what is the fate of the schools that have been closed and where will the learners and their teachers operate from as a result? It is unfortunate that the government has failed to find a lasting solution to the menace since independence, leaving locals living on the edge. Give teachers the KDF choppers,” said Lang’at.
He condemned the recent utterances by Lamu East MP Ruweida Obo that the country’s teacher employer Teachers Service Commission (TSC) should interdict those teachers who hadn’t reported to their workstations in Boni Forest, stating that threatening them is counterproductive.
According to Lang’at, legislators should instead be thinking of passing a law that will allow teachers in insecure areas to own guns.
“Lawmakers like Lamu East MP Ruweida Obo, with all due respect, should be thinking of passing a Bill in Parliament allowing teachers to carry guns in school instead of threatening them,” he said.
At the same time, he called on TSC to promote those teachers in Boni Forest who have stagnated in one job group as a way of motivating them, a statement that was echoed by KNUT Lamu Branch Executive Secretary Ibrahim Sheekue.
Sheekue, who is also a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) representing Coast region, noted that the schools in Boni were closed due to insecurity and are currently used as military camps.
“The government and the teacher employer wanted to open the schools to show the public and the international community that the place is safe and secured. No teacher was ready to go back, but the government and the TSC gave false promises that they will be promoted to administrative positions once they accepted to be posted to these schools,” he said.
KNEC payments
Lang’at, on a separate occasion, asked the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) to pay all its contracted professionals, teachers included, their remuneration immediately they complete the exercise, and also review upwards their packages.
Speaking to Education News after gracing KNUT Thika Branch AGM and by-election, Lang’at decried the delayed payment of centre managers, invigilators, supervisors, markers and security personnel.
“The payment to KNEC contracted officials is little and usually delays; it’s high time KNEC reviewed the pay and also pay it immediately,” he said.
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At the same time, he urged the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government to ensure the troubled areas of Boni Forest and bandit-prone North Rift and North Eastern are adequately secured for the exam period.
“We have places such as Boni forest, bandit-prone areas in Rift Valley and some areas in the North Eastern region. The government needs to assure our children and teachers of their safety during examination time,” he said.
Lang’at said he has received complaints from several head teachers who are yet to receive capitation money for third term.
“Teachers have complained that they have not received their salaries for three months. Head teachers have said they have a challenge from suppliers and are being taken to court for non-payment of services,” he said.
By Roy Hezron
Additional reporting by Felix Wanderi, Fredrick Odiero, and Godfrey Wamalwa
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