The country’s teacher employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), is set to meet the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) next week to discuss and review contentious clauses in the Recognition Agreement the two parties signed in 2021.
Speaking to Education News yesterday, KNUT First National Vice Chairman Malel Lang’at confirmed that the meeting will be held from November 18, 2024 to November 22, 2024 in Naivasha to kickstart the process of amending the Recognition Agreement.
Malel stated that the prime agenda of the meeting will be TSC/KNUT Recognition Agreement (RA) amendment, pointing out that the 2021 document which reviewed the 1968 one was signed under duress.
He was speaking after attending a fundraiser in Shakoee village, Transmara, for KNUT branch chairman who doubles up as the Rift Valley Region Chairman John Musere. A total of Ksh4.4 million was raised to offset a hospital bill.
The meeting comes after the union officially wrote to TSC asking for review of the RA in compliance with the Labour Relations Act and the relevant laws, with Malel noting that the union had issued a one month notice of the same giving justifications for the need for the amendments.
Malel pointed out that the 2021 RA had unfriendly clauses which are detrimental to stakeholders, including reducing the number of branches, demarcation, unionized heads of institutions, and rights and privileges as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya but silent in the RA, among others.
For instance, clause 6 of the 2021 RA requires the union to reduce its branch executive secretaries from the current 110 to 47 effective July 1, 2026, and Clause 7 expects institutional administrators (referring to head teachers) not to be members of the union.
“In compliance to Appendix C of the Industrial Charter of 1984 and considering the role of Institutional Administrators which includes, managing human and non-human resources, supervision of staff, implementation of educational policy guidelines and professional practices, parties mutually agree that a Headteacher and/or a teacher acting in the position of a Headteacher shall not be a member of the Union,” reads part of the 2021 RA.
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Malel now hints that TSC and KNUT are expected to appoint a sub-committee with joint chairpersons from KNUT and TSC to look into the areas proposed for amendments and present their report and opinion for further action.
The agreed position will then be registered with the Registrar of Trade Unions for implementation.
By Roy Hezron
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