The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to employ more teachers to cater to the growing number of pupils.
Our umbrella organisation believes there is no need for the Government to build more schools and structures for CBC while there is a shortage of teachers. It is good to build more schools, but these developments need more teachers to make sense.
As we make Knut vibrant again, the government must play its part to make education a success. The negotiations of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) are underway and its success will be a boost to our new team.
The proposals in CBA being negotiated include expansion of paternal leave from two to three weeks, maintaining current salaries and allowances, and spouses to work within sub-counties.
The monetary part of CBA being discussed has some challenges because the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) stopped all pay increases in public service due to Covid-19.
Despite all these challenges, the union is determined that teachers must get something better from these negotiations. We asked MPs to push the Treasury to allocate more funds to the TSC to enable the Commission to hire more qualified teachers to enhance growth and development.
The union wants the shortage of teachers addressed urgently.
There are suggestions that Grade One to Nine should not be in boarding schools since the children need to learn some skills. At such ages, pupils/children also need to be closer to their parents to train them in discipline to become responsible future citizens.
As Knut rebuilds, it must be remembered that some positions taken by the previous union leadership by opposing everything the government initiated such as curriculum, test processes, teacher promotions, development and professional grading saw head teachers and Kuppet disown Knut’s move.
Knut’s mandate is to get the best for teachers; I will initiate plans to help teachers develop their careers and skills.
Collins Oyuu is the Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary-general.
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