The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers has issued a 7-day strike notice in response to the government indicating that it may not honor the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement due to budgeting constraints.
The likelihood that such a strike will happen is very high unless the situation is resolved before the end of the notice period. This follows budget cuts by the government, which has been further strained by the rejection of the Finance Bill, 2024.
Addressing the press, KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori demanded that the funds be released immediately, with a stiff warning to the government to respect the signed CBA. He accused the government of squandering money on unnecessary projects instead of abiding by its obligations to pay teachers.
“KUPPET rejects the notion perpetuated through the media that these projects have been affected by the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024,” ranted Misori. Hypocrites MPs say they do not need a salary increase yet their total remuneration is almost Ksh1.5 million as opposed to teachers, who get less than a fifth of that figure..
Apart from that, KUPPET is also demanding that all the 46,000 intern teachers working in junior secondary schools be employed on permanent and pensionable terms starting next month.
This move by KUPPET is occasioned by the Teachers Service Commission’s admission that they are in a tight corner to employ teachers. TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia expressed herself before the National Assembly’s Education Committee that anticipated teacher promotions and employment of JSS teachers would not materialize following budget cuts.