Teachers have announced that they will proceed with their planned strike on August 26 after a meeting with the Teachers Service Commission failed to thwart the pending strikes.
Representatives included officials from KNUT, KUPPET, and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers KUSNET.
They expressed disappointment with the TSC's proposal to implement only one phase of the 2021-25 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
TSC said that the government has provided funds for the implementation of the second phase of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), effective from July 1, 2024.
The meeting was prompted by a strike notice issued by the unions over several contentious issues affecting the welfare of public school teachers.
At the forefront of these issues was the delayed implementation of the revised CBA.
The TSC, during the discussions, assured the unions that funds for the CBA's second phase had been secured and that the implementation would proceed immediately.
In addition to the CBA implementation, the TSC addressed other concerns raised by the unions.
Among these were the ongoing review of the Career Progression Guidelines, up-to-date remittance of third-party deductions, and access to both public and private hospitals under the Teachers Medical Scheme.
The TSC also confirmed that the government had provided resources for retooling teachers for the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The TSC further announced that 51,232 teachers had been promoted under competitive promotions, with an additional 20,000 receiving promotions annually on a common cadre.
Below are the demands teachers have given TSC
Full Implementation of the 2021-2025 CBA. Teachers are demanding that the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for 2021-2025 be fully implemented.
Promotion of 130,000 Stagnated Teachers. There is a call for the promotion of 130,000 teachers who have been stagnated in the same job group for a long time.
Allocation of KSh15 Billion for Teachers' Medical Cover. Teachers are seeking proper allocation of funds to ensure their medical coverage.
Release of Teachers' Emoluments for July 2024. Teachers are demanding the release of their salaries and allowances for the month of July 2024.
Remittance of Loans and NSSF Contributions. Teachers have raised concerns over the non-remittance of their loans and contributions to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Issues with Third Party Deductions. Since June 2024, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has deducted but not remitted funds for third-party agents, including banks, causing significant concern among teachers.