Widespread labor protests are occurring in multiple counties as educators intensify their complaints against the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and government officials.
Teachers have organized demonstrations in Busia, Nyandarua, and Kisii to protest inadequate pay, insufficient job security for probationary educators, and problems with the Social Security Health Authority (SHA) system.
In Busia, educators have declared they will suspend school activities until the government responds to their demands.
Charles Mukhwana, Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in Busia, urged the government to regularize the status of probationary teachers, compensate Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) examiners, and address SHA-related concerns.
Concurrently, Junior Secondary School (JSS) probationary teachers in Nyandarua conducted a protest in Ol Kalow, seeking permanent and pensionable positions as mandated by a court decision that deemed their internship arrangement unlawful.
Numerous of these degree-holding educators expressed dissatisfaction with their monthly salary of Ksh17,000, which they claimed barely meets fundamental living expenses.
They are pressing the TSC to expedite their confirmation into permanent positions and provide compensation for their probationary period.
In Kisii, the KUPPET chapter organized a rally calling for a reassessment of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to resolve wage inequalities. They contend that the agreement unfairly favors administrators compared to classroom instructors.
They additionally advocated for a comprehensive healthcare coverage system, regularization of probationary teachers’ employment, and acknowledgment of JSS institutions as independent secondary schools with dedicated administrative frameworks.
The Kisii demonstrations also highlighted persistent educator shortages resulting from the 100 percent transition policy and the adoption of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Teachers disclosed that most secondary institutions face staffing deficiencies, compelling them to handle as many as 70 pupils per class while conducting 30 weekly lessons, resulting in substantial professional exhaustion from excessive work demands.
Educators also pointed out postponements in career advancements, hardship allowances, and delayed processing of third-party deductions, all of which have intensified their economic difficulties.
The union delivered a 14-day deadline, cautioning that inaction would result in comprehensive job stoppage by all members in Kisii County commencing the following month.
We are not beggars; we are professionals seeking respect. If employers refuse to heed us, we will force them to listen through action,” stated Abel Kinyanchui, Executive Secretary of KUPPET in Kisii.