Kuppet opens doors to primary school teachers

Primary school teachers can now join the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet).

Chairman Omboko Milemba said the union will also change its name to Kenya Primary and Post-Primary Education Teachers union (Kupppet) to accommodate its new members.

“Primary school teachers have been applying for Kuppet membership and that is why we have decided to open our doors to them,” Mr Milemba said in Murang’a during the branch annual meeting Tuesday.

The union will hold the annual delegates committee meeting in Nyeri during which the constitution will be changed to adopt the name change.

“Many want to be our members, especially degree and masters degree holders. We have taken them on board because the constitution allows it, and we shall continue admitting more,” Mr Milemba added.

Kuppet has traditionally represented secondary and tertiary institution teachers. It has lately embarked on a recruitment drive to boost its membership.

But since independence, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has been the sole representative of primary school teachers in Kenya.

Knut and Kuppet have been jostling for members in secondary schools and tertiary institutions, hence the fierce rivalry between them.

SALARY INCREMENT

Meanwhile, Mr Milemba warned that the teachers’ strike planned for January would still go on unless the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) address their salary increment demands and allowances.

“The TSC was to review salaries and allowances, but to date, this is yet to happen,” he lamented.

The teachers are demanding house, risk and leave allowances, plus a 200 per cent salary increment.

The tug-of-war between teachers and TSC stems from the 1997 agreement they signed with the government for pay increment.