The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has called on the government to resolve critical issues before a planned teachers’ strike on August 26, 2024, coinciding with the start of the third school term.
KUPPET Chairman Omboko Milemba emphasized in an interview with Daybreak that the government must enforce the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and implement a salary increase ranging from 2.5% to 9%.
The CBA covers various matters, including salary adjustments, increases in housing allowances, promotions, and workload management for teachers.
Milemba underscored that the CBA should ensure teachers are compensated after deductions like the Housing Levy are applied to their salaries.
He expressed frustration that despite lengthy discussions with the government, there has been insufficient progress on the matter.
Milemba criticized President William Ruto, comparing his approach to previous administrations that provided better benefits for teachers.
He recounted past agreements, noting that while previous presidents offered substantial improvements, the current administration’s approach seemed to involve extracting more from teachers’ pockets.
He also highlighted concerns about over 130,000 teachers being stagnated in their job groups for over a decade, which hinders career progression.
Milemba advocated for regular promotions to senior roles and the conversion of 46,000 contract teachers to permanent and pensionable status.
Additionally, he called for the recruitment of 20,000 more teachers to address gaps in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).
The government’s attempt to fund JSS teacher positions through the Finance Bill 2024 was met with public backlash and later repealed.
President Ruto has pledged to find alternative funding solutions.
Milemba also raised concerns about the potential revocation of teachers’ medical cover starting December 1, 2024, due to budget constraints.
The medical contract, which operates on a three-year cycle, faces a shortfall as the third phase, costing Ksh 20.6 billion, approaches.
He urged the government to ensure that budget cuts do not compromise the medical cover, stressing its importance for teachers.