Knut takes nursery teachers row to court

A teachers’ union has gone to court over the hiring of nursery school teachers by county governments.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) asked the High Court to rule if the hiring of the teachers interfered with the work of the Teachers Service Commission.

Knut argues that the county governments have taken over the role of the commission which is wrong.

In a newspaper notice yesterday, Knut announced that it had asked that the hiring be temporarily stopped.

The union further asked county governments to send their representatives to court.

“Take notice that the matter will be mentioned for directions on April 23 and unless you enter an appearance, the petition and application will be heard and determined in your absence,” the teachers’ union said through Oraro and Company Advocates.

The petition has been filed against Attorney-General Githu Muigai, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi and the Teachers Service Commission.

The case has been lodged at Nairobi’s Milimani Law Courts when some county governments have already hired the pre-school teachers.

Meru County posted 813 teachers to various schools. The teachers were commissioned on February 17 by Governor Peter Munya.

In Kisii County, a list of 685 teachers that had qualified for posting was released.

Kwale County announced plans to hire 300 pre-school teachers. Governor Salim Mvurya told off critics of the idea, which he said the Teachers Service Commission had ignored for years.