Order on teachers valid, says minister

What you need to know:

  • Prof Kaimenyi said Sunday threats by the unions to go on strike demanding his resignation would not slow down his reform agenda in the education sector.
  • On Saturday, Knut threatened to mobilise its members to push the President to fire the cabinet secretary.
  • “I did gazette the Basic Education Act. I can tell you that once it is approved by Parliament, the education landscape in this country will never be the same again,” he said.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has said he would not rescind a decision to have headteachers report to him.

Prof Kaimenyi said Sunday threats by the unions to go on strike demanding his resignation would not slow down his reform agenda in the education sector.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers have opposed the new directive that gives the Cabinet Secretary Powers to supervise and punish headteachers, saying this is the role of Teachers Service Commission.

But Prof Kaimenyi said he had followed the law and consulted widely before introducing the changes.

“I am not subject to impunity. I observe the rule of the law and at no certain time have I usurped the powers of the Teachers Service Commission in hiring, firing and disciplining teachers,” he told worshippers at the All Saints Kinoru Methodist Church in Meru.

FIRE KAIMENYI

On Saturday, Knut threatened to mobilise its members to push the President to fire the cabinet secretary.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said Prof Kaimenyi’s “contradictory directives” were disappointing.

He said teachers would not call off the strike even if the CS rescinds the order that head teachers report to him.

However, Prof Kaimenyi said he had only asked the head teachers and principals to be accountable.

“I did gazette the Basic Education Act. I can tell you that once it is approved by Parliament, the education landscape in this country will never be the same again,” he said.

At the same time, the CS defended the new school fees guideline, saying it is pro-poor and would help in taming schools that are used to charging exorbitant fees.

“Some schools have been charging Sh120,000. Who can afford that? The Jubilee government reduced that to more than half in the spirit of being pro-poor,” he said.