KUPPET secretary general Akello Misori at a past function. PHOTO | FILE
Talks between teachers and the government on Tuesday collapsed, setting the stage for a strike that could disrupt national exams set to officially start on October 21.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) failed to table a pay offer as promised last week, prompting the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet) to summon its National Executive Council — which has the authority to issue a strike notice.
TSC had on October 8 called teachers for fresh salary talks and stated it had an offer.
“The government has deliberately failed to come up with a counter offer. It is unfortunate that the teachers in this country have been taken around in circles because the talks have been a public display exercise,” said Akello Misori, Kuppet’s secretary -general.
He added that that the union’s National Executive Council would meet in 24 hours to issue the strike notice.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) had not briefed the media before this paper went to press and was holed up in the pay meeting.
More than 1.3 million candidates face exam disruption. KCSE starts on October 21 and ends November 7 while KCPE is set for November 4 to 6.
The teachers are demanding a salary increase of up to 300 per cent and a string of allowances that would cost taxpayers Sh900 billion if fully implemented.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission has advised the government against increasing the salaries of the teachers by 50 to 60 per cent as had earlier been proposed by TSC.
This was going to cost taxpayers Sh50 billion in a pay a deal that was to be staggered over three years.
SRC maintains any salary increments for teachers must take into account the financial impact and the effect on other sectors of the public service.
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