We’ll sack and replace you, TSC tells teachers
What you need to know:
Knut has instructed its branch officials to ensure that no teacher reports to work on Thursday.
Teachers’ employer is preparing a register of trained, but unemployed teachers, who can be reached at short notice
The Teachers Service Commission is preparing to send home employees who will take part in the strike their union has called, starting Thursday, when schools reopen for the first term.
At the same time, the Kenya National Union of Teachers has declared the strike will go on unless TSC rescinds its decision on mass transfer of headteachers.
TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia asked the commission’s head of quality assurance, Dr Mugwuku Nthamburi, to prepare details of the estimated 290,000 trained and registered teachers, but who are unemployed, who would be recruited to replace those who go on strike. This is intended to dilute the strike and ensure learning is not disrupted.
MASS TRANSFERS
“You are required to urgently extract the data provided by the teachers in their registration details in the teacher online registration portal,” says Ms Macharia in her December 21 letter, a copy of which the Daily Nation has obtained.
She directed Dr Nthamburi to “ensure the teachers can be contacted on short notice through the bulk SMS facility for assignment of duty”.
While the letter does not expressly state that the TSC will hire new teachers to replace those who will boycott work, it sends a warning to Knut — which has ruled out any conciliation talks — that schools will open on Thursday as scheduled and that mitigation measures are in place to guard against disruptions.
Knut — which has a membership of about 180,000 — yesterday wrote to its branch officials throughout the country asking them to ensure no teacher reports to work on Thursday.
Secretary-General Wilson Sossion’s letter to Knut’s executive secretaries read in part: “...bring to the attention of every member that the strike action commences exactly on the opening date of the new term. No teacher should report for the new school term until the strike is called off formally by the secretary-general.”
Knut has been campaigning for the promotion of all teachers who have attained higher education qualifications, a review of the new performance contracting system and the stoppage of mass transfers of headteachers and their deputies in a new policy introduced to delocalise the management of schools.
HARDENING POSITIONS
“We shall not resume duties until all these issues are resolved to the full satisfaction of the Kenyan teachers. We call on all teachers to fully participate in this historic strike in order to claim our justified rights,” the Knut boss said.
On Saturday, a meeting between Knut and a conciliator appointed by Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani failed to sort out the crisis, with the union insisting the strike will go ahead.
Another meeting has been scheduled today in the afternoon at the Labour Headquarters, but with both sides hardening their positions, it is unlikely to bear much fruit.
TSC’s head of communications Kihumba Kamotho, however, said they are optimistic the issues will be resolved through the conciliation process, but declined to discuss the issue further, saying, he does not want to pre-empt the deliberations.
“It is in the interest of all parties, including Knut, to support the conciliation process,” Mr Kamotho said.
In 2015, TSC hired teachers on a three-month contract after a strike to press for higher pay extended up to a month. The TSC also advertised for 70,000 teaching vacancies and the union called off the strike.
On Sunday, Kenya Parents Association Secretary-General Nicholas Mayo opposed the move by Knut to call for strike and asked to be involved in the reconciliation meetings.
Delocalisation programme
TEACHER APPRAISALS
“We, as parents, are the main stakeholders in the education sector because without our children, there is no teaching profession in this country. We are asking teachers to deal with their employer and avoid involving themselves in a strike that will affect parents and learners,” Mr Mayo said by phone.
He said the issues teachers have raised can be solved in a joint meeting, which involves all stakeholders, including parents.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), which represents about 45,000 tutors, has distanced itself from the strike, saying, it is not opposed to the mass transfers.
Secretary-general Akelo Misori has been against the review of the delocalisation programme, saying, teachers agreed to be deployed anywhere in the country when they get employed.
Kuppet national chairman Omboko Milemba said the union has not issued any strike notice yet but has called for a national governing council meeting on Wednesday to deliberate on various issues affecting teachers.
“We are observing the turn of events for now, but we shall issue a comprehensive statement after our planned meeting,” Mr Milemba said.
They will intensively discuss the transfer of teachers, promotions, teachers appraisals and the 1.5 per cent housing tax during the meeting, he said.
