Teachers issue new strike threat on new jobs

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General, Wilson Sossion. Knut will mobilise its members to go on strike next month following the government’s failure to recruit all the trained teachers in this year’s budget. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said the union had expected the government to budget at least Sh18 billion for the hiring of more than 90,000 trained teachers as opposed to its budget of Sh2 billion to hire 5,000 tutors.
  • Mr Sossion said it beats logic for the government to talk of its commitment to the education of the Kenyan child yet it was not ready to employ enough teachers.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers will mobilise its members to go on strike next month following the government’s failure to recruit all the trained and qualified teachers in this year’s budget.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said the union had expected the government to budget at least Sh18 billion for the hiring of more than 90,000 trained teachers as opposed to its budget of Sh2 billion to hire 5,000 tutors.

“It is foolhardy for the government to train teachers using public money and fail to utilise them,” Mr Sossion said.

He said it beats logic for the government to talk of its commitment to the education of the Kenyan child yet it was not ready to employ enough teachers.

Mr Sossion said that this time round, the union will not only mobilise its members to go on strike but will also involve the public whose children are made to suffer as a result of the government’s failure to recruit enough teachers.

Mr Sossion (right) was speaking at Koibeyon Mixed Day and Boarding Secondary School in Bomet East constituency during the institution’s prize-giving day presided over by Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto.

EXPECT STRIKE

The school registered a mean score of 4.8 with its 22 candidates in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination.

Mr Sossion said the government should expect a strike should it only factor in the employment of 5,000 tutors in this year’s budget.

Mr Ruto announced that Chama Cha Mashinani, which he heads, will conduct its nominations in the next two weeks. He assured the exercise will be transparent, free and fair.

The Governor pleaded with Bomet voters to vote in all leaders from the Members of the County Assembly on a CCM ticket.

On presidential hopefuls, the Governor said they were welcome to make inroads in Bomet and sell their manifestos.

“We will only agree with a presidential aspirant whose outfit will assure us that it will devolve at least 45 per cent of the national revenue for development to the counties,” he said.