Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu has issued a warning that teachers will not open schools on Monday, August 26, if their 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is not fulfilled.

Speaking at the Tranz-Nzoia KNUT Branch Annual Meeting, Oyuu expressed frustration over the unfulfilled terms of the CBA, stating he cannot accept that what he signed and submitted to the court has not been honoured.

Oyuu’s warning

“Who am I as the Secretary-General to accept that what I duly signed and deposited in court is no longer binding? If I remain silent, teachers might turn against me,” Oyuu stated.

He urged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to implement the agreement and pay teachers their dues from July 2024 through August 2024.

Oyuu emphasised that without this action, teachers will refuse to return to school for the final term of the year.

“We demand that the TSC implement the second phase of the CBA. They must pay teachers the arrears from July 2024 to August 2024. If not, teachers in this country will not open schools on Monday, August 26,” he asserted.

Teachers CBA

The second phase of the CBA, signed in 2021 with an addendum in 2023, became effective July 1, 2024, while the first phase, covering salaries and allowances, has already been implemented.

This agreement also included increases in house allowances for teachers and improvements in terms of service, such as promotions and workload adjustments for special needs education teachers.