Catholic Church calls for dialogue over teachers' strike

Teachers demonstrate in Kisii Town. They want the government to honour the 50-60 per cent pay rise that they were awarded by the High Court. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He argued that the strike would affect the quality of education in public schools.
  • KCCB wants the two teachers' unions to meet the TSC, the SRC and the National Treasury to craft a payment formula.

The Catholic Church has called for a dialogue between teachers and their employer over their salary demands.

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) wants a meeting held between the two teachers’ unions, the Teachers Service Commission, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the Ministry of Education and the National Treasury to craft a payment formula.

“In the meantime, we appeal that schools be opened to allow learning to proceed as candidates are preparing for the national examinations,” said Bishop Maurice Makumba, who is in charge of education at the KCCB.

“A standoff between the parties would see our school going children suffer an injustice,” he said in a statement to the newsroom Wednesday.

He argued that the strike would affect the quality of education in public schools and in the long run affect the social economic development of the country.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers have urged their members to stay out of class until the government pays them a 50 to 60 per cent salary raise ordered by the High Court.