It’s not just about the money: Teaching aids and training opportunities top tutor needs

Teachers need more teaching and learning materials and training opportunities than a salary increase, according to a study conducted by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and published in April this year.

According to the survey, in which 5,741 people were interviewed in all 47 counties, 24 per cent of the respondents said good classrooms and laboratories and adequate learning and teaching materials, such as dust coats and smart boards, were the biggest professional need for teachers.

Another 19.8 per cent identified in-service training, refresher courses, workshops and seminars as the second biggest professional need, while teachers’ welfare — including promotions, transfers, job security and professional development — ranked third, a rung above salaries at 12.9 per cent.

A total of 3,532 teachers, 903 heads of learning institutions and 1,246 parents and school boards of management representatives were interviewed for the survey.

However, when only teachers were asked what was their biggest professional need, only male teachers said salaries. They also wanted higher housing and commuter allowances.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Interestingly, married teachers were more likely to rank salaries and allowances as their biggest professional need compared to their single counterparts. For those who are separated, divorced or widowed, salary and allowances were not considered as professional needs.

For those who are widowed, staffing needs appeared to be the biggest concern, while for those who are divorced, a commuter allowance was their biggest concern, compared to remaining in employment for those who are separated.

Of the teachers interviewed, 54 per cent of the males ranked salaries and hardship allowances as their biggest professional need. However, only 45.6 per cent of women chose salaries while 45.8 per cent chose hardship allowance.

On the other hand, 54 per cent of women teachers ranked medical allowances and a good working environment as their biggest professional need. Another 51.7 per cent chose housing as their biggest professional need.

Demand for higher salaries has been the single largest cause of disruption of learning in public primary and secondary schools. That means that unions are spending a disproportionate amount of time fighting for needs that many teachers do not consider priority.

In January, both Knut and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) called their 288,016 members to strike to demand a salary increase after they failed to agree on a collective bargaining agreement with their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The unions and TSC had agreed on allowances for teachers but differed on how much teachers should earn as basic pay.

The unions had demanded a 300 per cent increase in basic pay spread over four years but TSC had offered between 50 and 60 per cent, translating to about 12 per cent per year. The dispute ended in court in June and in mid-August, a judge directed that TSC pays the amount it had offered. TSC has appealed against the ruling.

However, at the beginning of September, the two unions called for another strike to press TSC to honour the court award. The strike, which started on September 2, ended on Monday, which was also the World Teachers Day.

TOKEN OF AWARENESS

According to Wikipedia, the World Teachers’ Day has been celebrated each year since 1994 and is meant to commemorate teachers’ organisations worldwide.

“Its aim is to mobilise support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continue to be met by teachers,” the website says.

The day is also meant as a token of awareness and appreciation for the role that teachers play in education and development.

In Kenya, it was marked in low key events across the country this week, largely due to the ongoing case between the teachers and their employer in the Court of Appeal. Knut officials organised local events in Kisumu, Embu, Kakamega, Kiambu, Kericho and Nairobi, but Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said teachers had nothing to celebrate.

“Instead of empowering teachers, it is sad that the Kenya government is attacking them,” said Mr Sossion.

He urged the public to empower and respect teachers for the crucial role that they are playing in the development of the country.

Additional reporting by Ouma Wanzala