Teachers in limbo as TSC and the Unions Speak In Tongues.

Thousands of teachers in public schools across the country have been left in dillema as to whether to report on Monday next week or not. This follows conflicting communication from TSC and the Unions after the protracted consultative meeting which aimed at averting the looming industrial action.

The crisis in teaching fraternity reached full blown when teacher unions, KNUT and KUPPET threatened to lobby their members to down their tools ahead of opening for third term. The unions tabled six demands, top on the agenda being implementation of phase II of 2021-25 CBA. The second and final phase of salary increment was supposed to implemented effective July, 2024 but that wasn't reflected in July pay.

This, among other issues sparked teachers outrage who have accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of draconian labour practices. The employer has been accused of non-remittance of third party deductions, failure to promote over 130k teachers leading to career stagnation, overseeing a dogged medical scheme to list but a few.

The unions argue that the TSC has actively and consistently infringed teacher's rights, gave them a deaf ear hence forcing them to resort to boycott. To avert crisis as schools re-open, the unions engaged the newly appointed labour Cabinet Secretary, Alfred Mutua but the talks proved futile. The commission (on presidential order) then invited the teachers' representatives to hold last-gasp talks at the Kenya School Of Government.

KUPPET Secretary General, Akello Misori (left) and his KNUT counterpart Collins Oyuu (right) during a past media address.

Photo courtesy of Daily Nation.

Emerging from the meeting that lasted for over five hours, the TSC and union contingents released conflicting communication. On one side TSC insisted that the meeting was fruitful. Addressing the media, TSC CEO Dr Nancy Macharia said that the government had released the funds for implementation of CBA and urged teachers to report to school on 26th. She also stressed that the other issues tabled by the unions are being addressed adequately. She disclosed that the unions had agreed to consider withdrawing the strike notice after consulting their internal organs.

The unions on the other spoke a very different language. In a joint presser, the Unions maintained that the talks were futile.

"Everybody knows teachers are either employed on contract or permanent. No teacher is supposed to be interned", Collins Oyuu,KNUT Secretary General, lashed at TSC.

"We are not going back to school until ALL our demands are met", his KUPPET counterpart Akello Misori, added.

The hardline stance leaves the teachers at cross roads.

We'll see how it plays out.

Keep it here for updates...

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