The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has issued a stern warning that teachers will not be involved in overseeing the 2023 national exams if the government fails to pay them for their work during the 2022 exams.
Knut has given the government a one-week ultimatum to settle the payments. The union stated that its members who presided over the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams have not received their rightful compensation.
The government has in the past acknowledged this delay and promised to clear their overdue payments.
Collins Oyuu, the Secretary General of Knut, expressed concerns about the delayed payments. He asserted that the union will not allow other teachers to face similar predicaments during the 2023 exams.
Despite writing several letters to the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) requesting prompt payment, Knut claims that no action has been taken. Oyuu emphasized that unless the teachers are paid this week, they will not participate in supervising, invigilating, or marking the 2023 national exams.
“Knut has written several letters to Knec to expedite payment for the teachers but nothing has come forth. Unless they pay them this week, teachers won’t oversee the 2023 national exams,” Oyuu said.
The Ministry of Education had promised to make the payments by the end of July. The government had previously stated that the compensation had been factored into the budget.
Growing frustration
However, the teachers have yet to receive their dues, leading to growing frustration within the teaching community.
During the sixth Knut Suba branch annual general meeting at Mbita High School in Suba North, Oyuu called on the government to address the welfare issues of teachers.
Knut also demanded that teachers who are unfairly interdicted should be compensated. According to the union, many of them are living in impoverished conditions due to unjust employment actions.
Oyuu also highlighted the plight of teachers who have been fired just before their retirement. This action resulted in the loss of retirement benefits.
“Some left work when they are 50 years old. It means they missed their retirement benefits,” he said.
Another key demand from the union is for the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to hire Early Childhood Education (ECD) teachers and provide them with fair remuneration.
Disparities in salaries across counties
Knut is already in negotiations with the TSC to achieve this goal, but they also point out that there are disparities in hiring and salary payments for teachers across different counties.
Furthermore, Knut insists on increasing the salaries of head teachers who staff both primary schools and junior secondary schools. Most junior secondary schools are located within primary schools and are headed by the same individuals. Knut believes that these head teachers’ roles should be acknowledged and rewarded accordingly.
Various officials and dignitaries, including Senator Moses Kajwang, Water Secretary Samuel Alima, and Homa Bay Education Executive Martin Opere, attended the Knut Suba branch meeting and showed their support for the union’s cause.
Senator Kajwang encouraged Knut not to waver in its efforts to safeguard the welfare of teachers. He emphasized the importance of unions in advocating for their members’ rights.
Alima assured that the national government is working on a master plan to ensure a consistent supply of clean and safe water in schools, prioritizing students’ health.
Meanwhile, Knut representative Roselyne Olambo urged the government to designate the Suba region as a hardship area, taking into account its challenging geographical features, such as islands, mountains, and impassable roads.
She advocated for higher pay for teachers in the region to motivate and support them in their difficult working conditions.
