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The teaching fraternity was yesterday split down the middle on whether to go on strike or not ahead of the start of the third term this morning, throwing thousands of learners and parents in confusion.

Whereas the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) called off the strike, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), maintained that they would not report to class until their demands were fully met.

KNUT draws its membership largely from teachers in primary schools while the bulk of KUPPET membership is drawn from secondary school teachers.

Last Wednesday, the two unions jointly announced the strike notice attributing the move to the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) failure to address five critical grievances raised during a meeting held on July 16- to resolve the planned industrial action and issues affecting the welfare of teachers.

But yesterday, they held separate meetings and totally divergent positions on the strike.

“In light of the latest developments, we direct our teachers to resume duty effective Monday, August 26, 2024,” KNUT Secretary General, Collins Oyuu said, announcing that the Union’s National Executive Council (NEC) had agreed to withdraw the strike action notice which was to elapse last night.

Pending matters

The NEC, he said directed the Union to commence discussions with the employer to address the remaining matters. He was flanked by officials of the Union’s branches across the country at the Union head office in Nairobi.

At the Kasarani Sportsview Hotel, Kuppet threatened to drag the government and the TSC to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) tribunal for engaging in bad labour practices.

While announcing the beginning of the national-wide strike that begins today, Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori noted with concern that TSC has resorted to employing teachers on casual terms.

“This casualization is not how TSC is supposed to operate. It is supposed to engage the teachers on permanent and pensionable terms and not to employ them as interns. They don’t even have a policy of internship. This creeping in is basically to have cheap labour which is a bad labour practice,” an agitated Misori warned.

But KNUT annulled a nationwide strike that was scheduled for today and called on teachers across the country to be on duty tomorrow.

Intern teachers

After a four-hour closed-door meeting, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union emerged with a united declaration. It’s understood that the NEC was divided on the issue of the conversion of intern teachers to permanent and pensionable employees of the government, delaying the announcement.

He called upon members of the Union to remain steadfast as the remaining issues are being resolved, however with a rider that if those issues are not addressed comprehensively, teachers will have no option but to suspend the announcement. 

“Meanwhile we assure our members that the Union is committed to resolving the matters herewith failure to which we shall revert to the initial position since the Strike Notice has only been withdrawn,” Oyuu said.

The union had tabled about five demands of which most of them were agreed upon, leaving one of the demands unresolved, with the Union, revealing that there’s progress in addressing it.

“The NEC having considered all options in the developments of these matters and the level of commitment by the Government, the Employer (TSC) and the Teachers’ position in driving the Education Agenda has today directed the Secretary-General to withdraw the Strike Notice,” said Oyuu.

The demands were; immediate implementation of the second phase of the 2021-2025 amended CBA signed between TSC and KNUT; immediate remittance of the Third Party deductions accrued to their respective organisations, immediate conversion of 46, 000 Junior Secondary School teachers to permanent and pensionable terms and employment of 20, 000 new teachers.

The other demand was the promotion of 130,000 stagnated teachers on various job grades, and immediate remittance of capitation to the medical insurer to allow service providers to offer medical services to sick teachers and their families.

“In the deliberations; the 5 demands were tabled for discussions and the following areas were agreed upon, first, the second phase of the Salary Award for teachers was given and factored to their salaries in arrears for August 2024,” said the KNUT boss, noting that this paves way for the commencement of the CBA 2025-2029 cycle in respect to Section 3 on effective date and duration and specifically Section 3.3 which states that components of a running CBA can only be repealed by a new one.

The parties also agreed on third-party deductions, which were also remitted to the Commercial Banks, Teachers’ Saccos, Teachers Investment Schemes and other legal liabilities.