KNUT Calls for 60% Salary Increase Amidst Education Reforms
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has asked for a significant compensation rise of 60% for teachers. The decision was made at the Mombasa KNUT annual general meeting.
The KNUT National Chairman, Patrick Karinga Munuhe, emphasised that teachers already have a heavy task, but that it will only get worse as they get ready for the introduction of the new Competency Based Curriculum and the enrollment of grade 8 students the following year.
A comprehensive educational system from Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) to grade 9 is the goal of the suggested reforms.
KNUT requests that TSC reconsider the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for 2021–2025 in light of these modifications and approve a 60% pay increase to account for the new obligations put on teachers.
KNUT secretary general Collins Oyuu has previously spoken in favour of a reassessment of the CBA 2021–2025.
The commission received a seven-day notice from the union that a meeting would be held to discuss this issue.
Munuhe acknowledged that they had spoken with TSC and that a meeting had been planned. The opposition had planned widespread protests, so the conference had to be postponed.
It was also questioned if TSC should hire 20,000 new teacher interns. Munuhe stated that rather than hiring fresh interns, TSC ought to have given the priority of hiring the interns from the previous year on a full-time, pensionable basis.
KNUT Calls for 60% Salary Increase Amidst Education Reforms
Labour laws state that TSC shouldn’t go more than six months without permanently hiring interns.
Also Read:Â KNUT asks TSC to give Headteachers Administrative Powers over JSS
The Teacher Internship Programme is intended to prepare and advance the abilities of those beginning their careers as teachers.
Primary school interns are paid a monthly stipend of Ksh 15,000; junior secondary school (JSS) interns are paid Ksh 20,000.
In addition, Munuhe urged the government to guarantee the security of educators and students and decried the protest-related closure of public schools in Mombasa, Nairobi, and Kisumu Counties.
To avoid interfering with the teaching of children, he appealed for a peaceful conclusion between the administration and the opposition.
