Junior School Teacher Keep Off School As Schools Reopen

Junior School Teacher Keep Off School As Schools Reopen.

Schools across various parts of the country resumed classes, coinciding with demonstrations by junior secondary teachers protesting against the Teachers Service Commission’s refusal to employ them permanently. In Nairobi, a group of intern teachers staged protests at the commission’s offices, expressing their resolve not to yield to threats in their decision to strike.

Owino Okello, the chairman of intern teachers in Nairobi County, referenced a ruling by the Employment and Labour Relations Court, which nullified the internship status for trained, registered, and licensed teachers. Despite granting the TSC a grace period to comply, Okello affirmed their commitment to staying away from schools in accordance with the court ruling.

The intern teachers’ demands included salary parity with permanent counterparts for their duration of service and modification of their contracts to permanent and pensionable terms.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court deemed their employment contracts illegal, yet granted a temporary reprieve to the TSC while urging them to seek intervention from a higher court or absorb affected teachers permanently within three months. As of now, the TSC hasn’t responded to their demands or taken action regarding their participation in industrial action.

In Nakuru, teachers vowed not to return to school until their demands were met, emphasizing the government’s obligation to confirm interns to permanent positions. Similar sentiments were echoed in Taita Taveta County, where JSS teachers protested for improved terms of service, including confirmation to permanent status and compensation for underpaid intern teachers. This sentiment reverberated across counties like Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Muranga, Meru, and Embu, where JSS teachers held protests and vowed to stay away from classes until their demands were addressed.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) echoed these sentiments, calling for job security and proper benefits for JSS teachers, while urging the TSC to bridge the gap of teacher shortage in junior secondary schools. The strike poses a significant threat to the learning of over 2.5 million students nationwide.

Junior School Teacher Keep Off School As Schools Reopen