Kuppet protests firing of 368 contract teachers

Some 368 contract teachers have been sacked because “they don’t qualify to be recruited on permanent terms”.

The move has angered the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), which has instructed its lawyer to take legal action against the Teachers Service Commission.

Kuppet also issued a one-week ultimatum to the teachers’ employer to reinstate the teachers or face a strike.

Advertised for vacancies

Last week, TSC advertised for 368 vacancies for teachers to replace those who were sacked.

Kuppet secretary-general Akello Misori said it was illegal for the TSC to sack the teachers even before they had completed their three-year contracts.

“We cannot condone this illegality, the teachers were given a three-year contract and now they are being sacked midway.

“This is a serious issue and we have instructed our lawyer to sue the TSC,” said Mr Misori.

He showed journalists a termination letter dated January 23 that a teacher from a secondary school in Nyandarua District received.

“The Commission has decided to terminate your services with effect from February 1, 2012 since you do not meet the minimum entry requirement as per the TSC recruitment guidelines on permanent terms,” read the letter signed by Mrs Mary Rotich for the TSC secretary.

Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba said the basis for the termination of the contracts was indicative of the corruption and lack of professionalism in TSC.

“We will not allow the TSC to frustrate the young men and women who had gone through accredited universities and qualified.

“How do you tell someone you employed after a competitive recruitment exercise that they did not meet the requirements of the job they have been doing for over one year?” asked Mr Milemba.

He said they signed an agreement with the TSC for the absorption of all 18,060 contract teachers to permanent and pensionable terms.

Mr Milemba said TSC secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni should resign for failing to run the TSC professionally.