The Kenya Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called for the promotion of teachers following the new salary increment announced by the Government.
Speaking during a meeting of KNUT members, Buuri Member of Parliament Mugambi Rindikiri criticized the move by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) not to increase the teachers’ salaries noting that teachers play a vital role in society.
He said that it was disheartening to see examination supervision fees for last year’s national examinations have not been remitted.
KNUT National Assistant Treasurer Kulo Mohammed Sheikh requested TSC to review the Career Progression Guidelines and promote KNUT teachers who have been stagnating in on position for a long time.
“As a union we are ready to work with the government of the day, but we want no further delays from the Commission and we want the CBA payment issue addressed because we want teachers to resume duties,”he said.
This comes as the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) KNUT and TSC are locked up in a closed-door meeting Monday as they seek to unlock the salary increase deadlock.
The Teachers’ unions are advocating for the implementation of the Presidential salary increment of between 7pc and 10pc while TSC is of the view this may not be tenable.
Representatives of Teachers’ Unions in the country and their employer Teachers Service Commission are expected to reach an agreement aimed at revising the 2021-2025 collective bargaining agreement.
The meeting currently underway at the Kenya School of Government seeks to solve the Salary review impasse that has seen the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers KUPPET at odds with the Nancy Macharia-led commission.
According to the union, TSC has proposed a salary of between 2.4 to 9.5pc, with the lowest-earning teacher getting the highest percentage and the highest-earning teacher getting the lowest percentage.
This comes as a section of KNUT officials drawn from Meru County have differed with their KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu who welcomed the proposal by their employer saying it is considering low earners.
KNUT members have further rejected the Teachers Service Commission’s move to demote head teachers who do not have a degree and also the move to join the NSSF pension scheme.
Reporting by Sally Namuye and Abdiaziz Hashim