Teachers stay away despite sack threat

The teachers’ employer has started hiring to replace those who have refused to return to work.

Those interested in filling the positions have until Friday to register in their respective counties in readiness for interviews should the striking teachers be fired.

Education Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi had given the striking teachers until 8am yesterday to return to work, but most teachers ignored the directive.

A spot check by the Nation revealed that chiefs and their assistants conducted roll calls in some schools to find out if teachers had reported for duty.

Teachers who failed to report to work yesterday were to be deemed as deserters, according to a warning issued by the Prof Kaimenyi.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) had dismissed the sacking threat as “a prank” to scare its members to call off their strike, now in its fourth week.

Last evening, Knut leaders were locked in a meeting of its National Executive Council to deliberate on the way forward.

According to the Teachers Service Commission, candidates interested in replacing those who will lose their jobs have two days to sign up.

“All trained unemployed teachers are required to register with TSC staffing officers at the county and sub-county level in districts where they would wish to be considered for employment to replace striking teachers,” TSC executive officer Gabriel Lengoiboni said in a statement to newsrooms Tuesday.

To qualify, one must have attained a minimum of P1 certificate to teach in a primary school, or a diploma in education to teach in a secondary school.

Mr Lengoiboni, however, noted that the eligible candidates will only replace the teachers who have not heeded a court order to return to class.

“Teachers who are qualified but have not been registered with the TSC as required under the TSC Act and wish to be considered will be advised on how to apply online at the county and sub-county level,” Mr Lengoiboni said.

Meanwhile learning in most public schools remained paralysed.

The Nation learnt that TSC county directors across the country had send text messages to headteachers early yesterday demanding the details of teachers who have not been attending school.

In Garissa, classrooms remained empty as teachers stayed away despite the ultimatum for them to report for duty.

Students who had turned up in school returned home because there was no one to teach them.

In some schools, only the watchmen could be seen patrolling the compounds.

Knut Garissa branch chairman Ibrahim Atosh said: “It is not that we don’t like our work, but that the salary that we are getting from the government is not realistic in today’s hard economic times.”
In Nyeri, parents flocked to schools with their children, but there were no teachers.

In Limuru, chiefs and assistant chiefs were conducting primary school roll calls to find out which teachers had stayed away.

Most teachers in the county did not turn up in class.

In Nakuru, teachers told the police to keep off schools, saying, their services were needed in insecurity-prone areas.

In Kangundo and Matungulu districts, most teachers in public schools opted to stay away.

Teachers in Mombasa County also defied the order to resume teaching. A spot check revealed that learning was paralysed at most public high schools.

In Thika, Knut officials criticised the government for deploying chiefs and Administration Police officers to schools. Knut branch executive secretary George Murimi accused the state of attempting to intimidate teachers and added that no teaching took place as all the 2,600 teachers who are members of the union stayed away from class.

“The government is wasting public funds by sending chiefs and administration police officers to schools. They should instead be dealing with criminals and illicit brewers,” Mr Murimi said.

By Benjamin Muindi, Dave Opiyo, Anne Macharia, Gastone Valusi, Rebecca Okwany, Oliver Musembi, Thomas Kariuki, Wycliffe Kipsang, Francis Mureithi, Muthini Stephen, George Munene, Kennedy Kimanthi and KNA.