Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) teachers have downed their tools, demanding immediate action from the government. The teachers, who held peaceful demonstrations in Bomet town on Monday, declared they would not resume work until their grievances are fully addressed.
Key among their demands is the confirmation of their employment on Permanent and Pensionable (PnP) terms. The teachers expressed frustration over their current Sh17,000 salary, deeming it insufficient and unacceptable. Backed by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), they have vowed to maintain their strike until their conditions are met.
KUPPET Vice Chairman Peter Bett emphasized the urgency of the situation, calling on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to act swiftly. “The internship and contract were termed illegal by the court, and the ruling must be respected by the teachers’ employer and the government,” Bett stated. He also urged TSC to compensate the teachers for their services rendered since February last year.
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Echoing these sentiments, KUPPET Treasurer Joseph Bett urged parents to take care of their children during the strike, reaffirming that the teachers would not attend lessons until their demands are satisfied. “A qualified teacher should not teach under contract terms as the Constitution mandates TSC to employ teachers on permanent and pensionable terms,” he asserted.
JSS spokesman Kiprotich Mungen indicated that the teachers are prepared to escalate their protests, holding demonstrations every Monday until the government concedes to their demands. “We will seek justice in the Labour Court because we cannot continue to teach in an unfavorable environment,” Mungen declared, advising colleagues to avoid schools and work on their farms on non-protest days.
Daisy Mutai, a JSS teacher, criticized the Ministry of Education and TSC for failing to address their issues. “We need issues to be sorted as soon as possible so that learning can continue, but as of now, no work,” Mutai stressed. She highlighted the government’s earlier promise to employ teachers on PnP terms, a promise yet to be fulfilled.
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The TSC had initially hired 46,000 intern teachers to mitigate the teacher shortage, with 21,500 of them assigned to JSS. However, the current unrest underscores the inadequacy of temporary measures and the urgent need for permanent solutions to ensure the stability and effectiveness of the educational system.
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