Vice-chancellors pledge to pay lecturers Sh3.8bn

University bosses have pledged to pay lecturers Sh3.8 billion to avert a looming work boycott.

The amount was part of a collective bargaining agreement.

Vice-chancellors and chairmen of university councils from 31 institutions held a meeting with Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi, where they promised to pay lecturers new salaries as agreed with their union.

“We don’t have the option of staff going on strike,” Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang told the university bosses at the ministry’s Jogoo House offices in Nairobi.

Universities Academic Staff Union chairman Sammy Kubasu said the lecturers want the money to be paid as a lump sum.

“We don’t want this money to be paid in bits, in piecemeal. This money runs back to 2010. By May 30, the cash should be in the accounts of our members,” Prof Kubasu told the Nation in a telephone interview.

He added: “At the moment, we should not be talking about the vice-chancellors pledging to pay; they should be sending the money to banks.”

Public universities last week put the ministry on notice, saying, they would go on strike if they are not paid their dues by May 30.

The union has criticised the ministry and the university leadership for delaying in honouring an agreement reached in March to pay allowances amounting to Sh3.8 billion.