Magoha accused of sidelining tutors in crucial education matters

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) on Thursday asked Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha to stop politicking education issues and include unions in crucial education discussions.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion accused the ministry of having a habit of sidelining the union from major task forces on education reforms.

Mr Sossion said the union has been sidelined from the curriculum review task force and the Covid-19 national education response committee.

“The Cabinet Secretary cannot purport to implement competency-based curriculum through a task force which excludes participation of teachers and includes non-professionals in education,” said Mr Sossion in a press statement Thursday.

Mr Sossion also wrote a letter to Prof Magoha demanding for their place in the taskforce and in the Covid-19 education response committee.

According to Mr Sossion, the union despite being a principal player in the basic education sector, it has been excluded from major decision making process that would define the future of education in the country.

He said, exclusion of Knut in the curriculum review taskforce chaired by Prof Fatuma Chege and the Covid-19 education response committee chaired by Dr Sarah Ruto, contravenes international conventions, treaties and agreements as outlined within the international labour organization (ILO) and Unesco.

He said it is also against the rules of public participation.

Further, Knut warned Prof Magoha against playing politics on issues that are affecting both teachers and learners such as Covid-19.

Mr Sossion said Knut and other recognised unions must be included in various task forces, commissions and working parties as legitimate representatives of educators.

“Out seat in the Prof Fatuma Chege CBC task force and Dr Sarah Ruto committee is a constitutional right and not a favour,” said Mr Sossion.

In another letter, dated May 8, Knut urged the Education CS to ensure schools are Covid-19-free zones before teaching resumes.

Mr Sossion asked the ministry to act in earnest and work with boards of management (BOMs), Parents' Associations (PA), teachers organisations and religious groups in the crusade to make schools Covid-19-free zones.

He said, should there be resumption of schools, the schools management should be able to take the teaching and non-teaching staff through health regulations to contain the spread of Covid-19 disease at least three days earlier.

Knut has also proposed that Covid-19 emergency response fund be established by the National Treasury to mobilise resources to manage the pandemic in public schools and colleges that would cushion parents, guardians and boards of management against high cost of school operation brought by partial lockdown.