Kenyan Teachers Demand Urgent Reforms: Strike Looms Over Delayed Pay, Promotions, and Employment
Kenyan teachers, led by KUPPET and KNUT, are preparing for a nationwide strike scheduled to begin on August 26, 2024. Their grievances center around unfulfilled promises and delayed reforms that have left them frustrated and disillusioned.
At the forefront of their demands is the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which includes long-overdue salary increases. The unions are also calling for the government to honor its commitment to make 46,000 junior secondary school interns permanent employees, a promise that has yet to materialize. Additionally, teachers are demanding the immediate recruitment of 20,000 new educators to alleviate the staffing shortages in junior secondary schools.
Another key issue is the lack of progress in promoting teachers who have been stuck in their current positions despite meeting the qualifications for advancement. Coupled with delays in salary payments and third-party deductions, such as loans and insurance, these unresolved concerns have driven teachers to take drastic action.
After exhausting all avenues for dialogue, the unions have declared the strike as a last resort to push for meaningful reform. Despite recent steps by the government, such as increased education funding, KUPPET and KNUT maintain that their core demands have not been met, keeping the strike on course.
