Knut meets over teacher interdictions in curriculum row

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has summoned four top leaders from each of its 110 branches for a meeting in Nairobi in the wake of interdiction of more teachers by their employer over the new curriculum.

The 440 branch officials will also deliberate on the new curriculum, which the union has vowed to reject at today’s meeting and agree on the way forward.

Those who will attend include executive secretaries, chairpersons, treasurers and women’s representatives.

The Knut has been angered by the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) latest decision to interdict 60 more teachers, bringing the total number of those sent home to 280 since last month.

The TSC has interdicted the teachers for failure to attend training on the new curriculum, ignoring the labour court’s order that stopped any disciplinary action against them.

NO SALARIES

The TSC has since stopped paying the affected teachers.

Most of those interdicted are head teachers, deputy head teachers and Knut officials.

Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Byrum Ongaya had ordered TSC not to take any disciplinary action against the teachers until a case filed by Knut is determined.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion has since protested to TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia over the matter.

“It is shocking to us that indeed you have chosen not to comply with the orders and you continue to subject 280 teachers to unnecessary suffering, torture, humiliation and total indignity despite the court pronouncing itself,” reads the letter dated May 30.

REVIEW

The meeting will also look at the curriculum review process, which the union is opposed to.

The Knut has demanded stakeholders’ involvement and participation in the implementation of the programme.

“All public schools must have adequate infrastructure to accommodate the increased number of learners to deliver CBC, and teachers must be adequately trained on the new curriculum,” Mr Sossion insisted.