Thousands of teachers made good on their threat to stay away from schools, paralysing learning in most parts of Kenya.

The worst affected were secondary schools, where no learning took place, as teachers heeded calls from their union Kuppet not to resume lessons until their demands are met by the government and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

But learning in most primary schools got off to a slow start on the first day of the third term, with most parents adopting a wait-and-see attitude following the strike calls.

Speaking after touring several schools in Nairobi, Machakos and Kajiado counties to assess the situation, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba implored Kuppet mermbers to review their stance and call off their strike so as to ensure the national examinations period is not disrupted.

The government had addressed nine of the 10 demands the union had tabled for discussion, and the remaining issue was being addressed by the Ministry of Labour, Ogamba said at Lenana School Primary yesterday afternoon.

“The government has demonstrated goodwill and readiness to address all the issues raised. We therefore see no reason for a confrontation,” he said, noting that the examination period requires calm so that students could transition to the next level of their education without interruption.

“I have sampled a few schools to witness and confirm the resumption of school operations for the third term. I have also had occasion to monitor the progress of the construction of Grade Nine classrooms.”

Resources, he said, had been provided for the implementation of teachers’ 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement, including for training to prepare them for the Competency Based Curriculum.

“The government has given due priority to teachers, despite the various competing needs and the very difficult economic circumstances that we are operating in as a country,” he said, explaining that this is why the government will go out of its way to improve their terms and conditions of service.

The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) had in a statement released on Sunday night urged parents to ignore the strike calls and ensure their children reported to schools yesterday morning.

“With regard to the looming teachers’ strike occasioned by a labour dispute between teachers’ unions and the TSC, KESSHA in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the TSC would wish to assure all the parents and the learners countrywide that the learners’ welfare and well-being will be safeguarded,” said a statement signed by the association’s chairman and Murang’a High School Principal Willie Kuria.

“Subsequently, parents are advised to prepare learners for third term school reopening starting 26th August 2024.”

 In Mombasa, KUPPET officials visited several secondary schools to enforce the strike, ejecting from classrooms teachers who were found teaching.

The union’s Mombasa branch deputy secretary, Michael Mpita, said the union would not allow any of its members to report to class until their demands were met.

“We are currently on strike and we have embarked on visiting schools to monitor the situation. Our intention is to ensure that those we find in schools, we eject them,” he warned.

People Daily visited several schools in Mombasa and confirmed that learning had come to a halt.

At Allidina Visram Secondary School, teachers were seen leaving the school premises, leaving students unattended after they were pulled out of classrooms by union officials.

 However, learning went on uninterrupted at most primary schools in the city as teachers heeded calls from their union Knut to report to school.

Low turnout

In the Nyanza region, opening day was marked with a low turnout at most schools as parents also adopted a wait-and-see approach. In Homa Bay County, many schools reported a low turnout on the first day of the third term.

Some parents were reported to have been confused on whether their children were to report to school following calls for a strike by teachers’ unions.

At Lake Primary School in Kisumu, only 500 of its 1,600 pupils reported for classes following confusion over the reopening of schools caused by a split between the two giant teachers’ unions.

Headteacher Zablon Owala said all 35 teachers reported for work.

“Our teachers reported early, expecting to start lessons at 7am after they got notification the previous day that their strike had been called off,” he said.

Stories by Noven Owiti, George Kebaso, Precious Nyongesa,

Rebecca Wangari, Evans Nyakundi, Oliver Musembi, Bernard Waweru, Hesborn Etyang, Kepher Otieno and Reuben Mwambingu