Government to blame for unrest in schools, says Kuppet

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary-General Akello Misori has faulted the government for the unrest being witnessed in schools across the country.

Mr Misori said the recent torching of dormitories is linked to administrative challenges faced by the affected schools.

Speaking during Busia Kuppet Annual General Meeting held at Farmview hotel in the border town on Sunday, Mr Misori said the government had failed to address the issue of strained facilities in many schools.

"The spate of unrest in our public schools does not require rocket science to understand. The facilities in these institutions are in deplorable conditions.

“How do you tell students to remain in a boarding school that doesn’t have dormitories, dining halls and enough classrooms…the government is to blame,” said Misori.

INSTABILITY IN SCHOOLS

The official was accompanied by Kuppet’s Gender-Secretary and Bungoma County Woman Rep Catherine Wambilianga and branch executive secretary Mophat Okisai among other officials.

“We are facing challenges because the government has refused to disburse over Sh5 billion to schools. The state of hopelessness has crept in and students are now causing chaos. The government has forgotten its mandate and teachers are not to blame,” he added.

Ms Wambilianga vowed to ensure all the issues affecting teachers are well articulated in Parliament.

UNCREASING TAXES

“I want to assure teachers who queried our representation in Parliament that we will continue to defend them,” said the legislator.

Mr Okisai faulted the government for impoverishing employees by increasing taxes.

“The proposal by the government to levy 0.5 per cent on teachers’ basic salary towards a housing scheme is meant to make them forfeit their house allowances,” he said.

Over 100 schools have been hit by student unrest in the past two months even as policy makers scramble to identify the causes of the crisis that threatens to get out of control.