Knut opposes bid to freeze hiring of new teachers
KNUT National Chairman Wilson Sossion speaks during a past press briefing. The teachers’ union has vowed to oppose any attempts by the government to freeze the employment of new tutors.
What you need to know:
- Union boss reacts to Githae’s announcement that the government is shelving employment of new staff in public sector to check wage bill
A teachers’ union has vowed to oppose any attempts by the government to freeze the employment of new tutors.
At the same time, the Kenya National Union of Teachers’ chairman, Mr Wilson Sossion, says they recognised the election of Mr Uhuru Kenyatta as the country’s fourth President and Mr William Ruto as his deputy.
Mr Sossion warned the government at the weekend against freezing salaries and allowances of teachers.
He said the government had no reason whatsoever to freeze employment of staff in the public sector.
“The country’s economy is weak because of deep corruption and that should not be a guise to freeze employment,” he said.
The Knut chairman spoke at Chemosot village in Bureti District, Kericho County, during the burial of former Public Works minister and Bureti MP Timothy Mibei.
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MPs-elect Leonard Sang (Bureti), Zakayo Cheruiyot (Kuresoi South) and Benjamin Langat (Ainamoi) were among the leaders present at the burial.
Mr Sossion was reacting to last Friday’s announcement by the government that it had frozen employment of new staff in the public sector in a bid to control the wage bill.
Finance minister Njeru Githae was quoted saying the measures were part of efforts by the government to contain the spiralling wage bill, which poses a threat to the country’s development aspirations.
Mr Sossion said the union had early this month submitted recommendations to the Treasury to have Sh15 billion in the next budget set aside for the recruitment of 40,000 new teachers, and a further Sh6 billion for the employment of early childhood development teachers to cater for the more than 3.5 million children going without the teaching staff.
He stated that the union expected the government to further set aside Sh41 billion in the next budget as earlier agreed to clear teachers’ medical, commuter and housing allowances.
“Kenyan teachers can not deliver good services when somebody is trampling on their rights,” he said.
Mr Sossion told the government to tread carefully in its attempt to freeze employment in the public sector, particularly in education, the medical field and security.
On the presidency, Mr Sossion said the union was always ready to work with the government of the day. He urged those who lost the polls to respect the verdict of the people by conceding defeat.
