Strike teachers arrested

• Learning paralysed as union declares Day One of national boycott a success

Forty two teachers and union officials were on Monday arrested as the strike by teachers in public schools over pay demands paralysed learning.

The highest number of arrests was in Emuhaya in Western province, where 31 teachers were picked up by police for participating in demonstrations.

Eight teachers were arrested in Mombasa while two were picked up in Meru and one in Gatundu.

Confrontation between protesting teachers and Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) officials, on one hand, and police on the other, took place in Mombasa, Kiambu, Gatundu, Meru, Kakamega, Isiolo and Vihiga districts.

In some instances, police used teargas to disperse teachers who had taken to the streets, waving placards as they protested.

Tens of teachers are said to have been injured in the clashes.

Protect learners

Some school boards of governors and management committees took over the running of boarding schools to protect the learners.

The Teachers Service Commission and Knut gave different assessments of the strike.

Knut described the day as a major success but the TSC said the strike had only succeeded in primary schools but that learning had continued in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

Teachers are demanding a Sh19.2 billion salary increase paid in one instalment, with the least paid teacher earning a basic salary of Sh13,750 and the highest Sh120,000.

But the Government is offering Sh17.3 billion distributed in three instalments, with the lowest paid teacher getting Sh11,433 in the first year, while the highest will be paid Sh71,338 without allowances.

The situation in Nairobi remained calm as teachers stayed away from schools while those who reported to work stayed in the staff room.

The teachers fought running battles with police in Mombasa most of the day.

Pupils who arrived for the morning assembly were turned away while a majority stayed at home.