Kuppet: Teachers' strike still on

The top decision-making organ of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) on Sunday resolved that its members would carry on with their strike until their employer promotes teachers who have stagnated in various job groups.

The National Governing Council (NGC) said the job boycott, which enters its second week on Monday, would be intensified action until their demands are met by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

"Our struggle is not for a mere Sh1,050 increment. Teachers have loans to pay, and many have invested in further education, yet without a review of career progression, their efforts are being undermined,” Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori said in Nairobi flanked by members of the NGC.

“The employer has refused to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of teachers who have gone the extra mile to further their education. They have refused to promote these teachers, thereby denying them the dignity and respect they deserve," he said.

He accused the TSC and the government of failing to address the plight of teachers, as the union vowed to fight what it termed as “a systemic failure to recognise and reward the professionalism of Kenyan teachers”.

“The essence of this struggle is based on one major principle: respect for the dignity of the teaching profession.

We have followed all the legal processes to air our grievances, but it is clear that the TSC is intent on punishing and oppressing teachers rather than addressing their concerns”.

The strike, which has now paralysed learning in nearly all public schools across the country, has escalated from an industrial dispute to what the union leaders are now calling a"struggle for justice."

At the heart of the dispute is the issue of career progression. Teachers who have furthered their education and attained higher qualifications, such as Master's and PhDs, are being denied the promotions that, according to TSC rules, should come automatically.

The union argues that the TSC’s refusal to elevate these teachers is not only unfair but detrimental to the future of education in Kenya.

“We are witnessing a conspiracy to make teachers of this country irrelevant, to reduce them to casual labourers. This will not stand. Teachers are professionals, and we will not allow them to be treated like construction workers," he said.

Kuppet called on parents and school principals to avoid engaging in any “mischievous arrangements” with the TSC, emphasizing that teachers were committed to staying out of classrooms until their demands were fully met.

“The teachers of this country are ready to stay at home for as long as it takes. We are appealing to the government to take this matter seriously. The future of our children and the integrity of our education system are at stake," he said.

The union’s hardline stance comes after the government’s latest attempt to resolve the crisis, which Kuppet claims was undermined by the TSC’s refusal to engage in meaningful negotiations.

The union has vowed to take its battle to the highest levels of government, warning that they are prepared to go to any lengths to secure justice for Kenya’s teachers.

"The TSC's refusal to engage in meaningful negotiations has left us with no choice. We are prepared to go to any lengths necessary to secure justice for the teachers of this country," he said.

The union said that despite issuing an advisory, some parents had taken their children to school.

“Therefore, any parent who chooses to send their child to school is assuming responsibility for whatever may happen,” he said.

“We are also aware that some schools are operating outside the standard timetable. While we trust that principals are handling the situation with care, parents must take responsibility as we've already offered sufficient guidance.”

Kuppet’s resolution comes only days after TSC rejected its request for talks to end the industrial action that is already taking a toll on Standard Eight and Form Four students who are set to write their national exams at the end of the year.

The paralysis in schools is also affecting millions of pupils and students who have been forced to stay at home with their parents as their counterparts in private schools continue with their education.