Knut threatens to take Mandera teachers’ plight to International Labour Centre
Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion. Teachers have demanded the withdrawal of an appeal by the Education ministry against salary increases they were awarded by a court two weeks ago. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Sossion accused the TSC of using the media to intimidate teachers instead of addressing their issues.
- TSC has since advertised for vacancies to replace the teachers who have failed to report back in Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties.
- Mr Sossion said it was unfortunate that TSC had continuously advanced the right to education for children without being concerned about the inalienable right to life for the teachers.
- He observed that many schools are situated in far and remote areas adding that there was a deliberate effort to mislead the public that the teachers are unreasonable.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has warned that it will take the matter of teachers who have declined to go back to north eastern Kenya to the International Labour Centre for arbitration.
Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion lamented that instead of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) addressing the concerns raised by the teachers, it had resorted to intimidation and was now addressing labour issues through the media rather than using the proper channels.
“Teachers shall continue to agitate to protect their rights at all costs,” Mr Sossion said in a statement.
More than 1,089 teachers who do not hail from northern Kenya have declined to go back to the region since January 2015 citing insecurity and harassments from locals.
TSC has since advertised for vacancies to replace the teachers who have failed to report back in Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties.
Those who wish to work in the counties have until Monday to present their applications.
TSC is seeking 637 teachers for primary schools and 452 teachers for secondary schools.
Of these, primary schools in Garissa County will get 46, Mandera County 399 and Wajir county 192 while secondary schools in Garissa will get 32, Wajir 162 and Mandera 259.
STABILISE LEARNING
TSC Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni said the move is intended to stabilise learning in the region which has been paralysed since January.
Most teachers working in the region declined to go back to their work stations following the massacre of more than 24 of their colleagues in a terror attack in November 2014 as they were going home for holidays.
Monday, Mr Sossion said it was unfortunate that TSC had continuously advanced the right to education for children under Article 53 of the Constitution without being concerned about the inalienable right to life for the teachers.
“It has been publicly declared over and again by the government that there are other Kenyans working in these areas without appreciating that these other Kenyans (civil servants) work in towns where the security is beefed up and other conditions of work are better,” said the Knut secretary-general.
Mr Sossion observed that many schools are situated in far and remote areas adding that there was a deliberate effort to mislead the public that the teachers are unreasonable.
Leaders from the affected counties led by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale have been pushing for the sacking of the teachers who have declined to go back to work.
