.jpg)
The Kenya National Union of Teachers has called for an increase in teachers’ salaries by at least 60 per cent.
Knut national chairman Patrick Karinga Munuhe said that teachers in the country have a huge workload, and this is expected to increase as schools prepare for Grade 8 enrolment next year.
Munuhe was speaking in Mombasa on Thursday afternoon after attending the annual general meeting for the Knut Kilindini branch.
The meeting was also attended by officials from the Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (Kepsha) who gave their report stating that their teachers are likely to have a higher workload than what they used to have before.
“Proposals from the presidential working party on education say that we shall have a comprehensive school that will run from ECDE up to Grade 9,” Munuhe said.
“That is why we are asking our employer the Teacher Service Commission that we need to re-look at our 2021-2025 CBA. We are just asking for a 60 per cent pay rise for our teachers because of the work that has been added to their current workload.”
Knut has through their secretary general Nelson Oyuu in previous engagements been asking for a review of their collective bargaining agreement 2021-2025.
The union had issued a seven-day notice for TSC to convene a meeting with them over the matter.
Muhuhe said they wrote to TCS and their employer replied setting a date for discussions which could have happened this week if not for the planned three-day nationwide demonstrations called by the opposition.
He reiterated that teaching is a call, but this should not be misused to exploit them.
“I can confirm to you that we are on good terms with our employer and we could have met in the course of this week, but because of the ongoing demos we will have to wait,” Munuhe said.
On the issue of TSC announcing the recruitment of 20,000 new teachers as interns, Munuhe said that TSC should have first ensured that the interns who were recruited last year have been absorbed on a permanent and pensionable basis before recruiting new ones.
The Knut chairman argued that within the teacher’s labour practices, it dictates that six months down the line, TSC should not go a seventh month without employing them on permanent and pensionable terms.
TSC had in early July announced the recruitment of 20,000 intern teachers in public primary and junior secondary schools.
According to the advertisement whose deadline was on the 10th of this month, 18,000 teachers were needed in JSS and 2,000 in public primary schools to support the implementation of CBC.
The Teacher Internship Programme is a one-year programme meant to equip and sustain the competencies of persons entering the teaching service.
Teacher interns attached to primary schools will be eligible for a monthly stipend of Sh15,000, while those attached to JSS will be eligible for a monthly stipend of Sh20,000.
Last year, the Ministry of Education announced the recruitment of 30,000 teachers and interns to support the implementation of JSS beginning in January 2023.
Munuhe also urged the government to ensure the safety of teachers and learners as he condemned the closure of public schools in Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu counties over the Azimio demonstrations on Wednesday.
He called for the government and opposition to look for a solution amicably without interfering with the learning of children in the country.
“We cannot be having our pupils not going to school, this makes our teachers uncomfortable too because the chaos and bonfires on the streets hinder them from getting to schools and threatens their safety and security,” he said. BY THE STAR