KNUT-KUPPET Battle for 39,550 JSS Teachers Intensifies
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have engaged in a fierce battle behind the scenes to represent teachers in junior secondary schools (JSS). In addition to members’ monthly dues, the 39,550 teachers assigned to JSS constitute a substantial increase in membership for any labor union.
Kuppet had previously declared that it had facilitated an agreement between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and JSS instructors to end the ongoing strike. According to Kuppet, TSC agreed to permanently hire the teachers for the upcoming fiscal year, ending a three-week strike.
TSC has consented to revoke all show-cause letters issued to striking teachers, according to Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori, who noted that penalizing educators for lawful labor actions would cause instability in the education sector. However, some JSS teachers deemed the return-to-work agreement to be a betrayal and disregarded it.
According to Daniel Murithi, the Kenya Junior School Teachers Association’s spokesman, the TSC compelled particular officials to terminate the strike in the absence of sufficient assurances. He reaffirmed that any agreement should involve the labor committee of Parliament or the TSC, and the strike would persist until they reached a formal agreement that affects all 46,000 intern teachers.
Amid this dispute, Kuppet reaffirmed its insistence that the Sh4.68 billion designated for new hires be utilized solely for pensionable and permanent employment.
The National Assembly Committee on Education’s chairman, Julius Melly, had previously declared that TSC had allocated Sh8.3 billion for the permanent employment of 26,000 teachers, leaving 20,000 others unemployed.
Melly proposed that TSC maximize the recruitment procedure to ensure efficient use of designated resources.
KNUT
Knut’s declaration of willingness to mediate the dispute between the TSC and the striking teachers added to the complexity.
Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu, along with other officials, demanded that the TSC revoke the show-cause letters sent to 7,357 teachers who had not resumed their duties since the resumption of classes. Oyuu emphasized the crucial need to prevent any educator participating in the protests from facing retaliation.
The scramble for JSS teachers carries significant implications. Both Knut and Kuppet recognize that securing the membership of these 39,550 educators could significantly increase their financial support and influence through monthly union dues.
Interim officials of the JSS teachers’ lobby reported that Knut and Kuppet had extended invitations to join the organization upon fulfilling their request for permanent employment with TSC. Historically, Knut has attracted members from primary schools, while Kuppet primarily comprises individuals from postsecondary institutions.
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In reply, representatives of the JSS lobby declared that JSS educators would establish their union rather than become members of either existing one. Their proactive efforts to rally their peers to sustain the strike and advocate for long-term employment have the potential to usher in a transformative shift in the representation of teachers in Kenya.
The ongoing conflict emphasizes the unions’ recognition of the JSS teachers’ strategic importance and their determination to protect this emerging membership.
KNUT-KUPPET Battle for 39,550 JSS Teachers Intensifies
