Knut demands meeting with TSC to iron out issues

The Kenya National Union of Teachers wants to hold a meeting with the Teachers Service Commission in a week to resolve outstanding issues before schools reopen.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion, chairman Wycliffe Omucheyi and other officials said the meeting was ordered by the Labour Court.

SALARY RISE

“We want the meeting to be called before Christmas in order to iron out industrial relations matters in readiness for a peaceful 2020,” Mr Sossion said yesterday.

For most part of this year, Knut and TSC have faced off in court over teacher transfer, performance appraisal, contracting and teacher professional development.

TSC deregistered Mr Sossion as a teacher, leading to a coup at the union, which was later overturned by a court.

Also Read

• 

  Wamalwa: Diaspora plays key role in Kenya’s growth - VIDEO

• 

  NEWS REVIEW: The burial ceremony that left a village tongue-tied

• 

  NEWS REVIEW: Chasing Nairobi River to find its relationship with cases of disease

• 

  Raila's party demands powerful PM

The commission also issued a notice to Knut ending their ties following the falling-out.

At a media briefing Tuesday, Mr Sossion said the dispute had caused suffering to Knut members.

He asked the President to end the problem of two payrolls, which has seen 100,000 teachers affiliated to the union denied a salary rise.

TRANSFER POLICY

Mr Sossion urged the TSC to respect the 2017 collective bargaining agreement.

“We urge TSC to reinstate the more than 80,000 teachers who were removed from the Knut roll. Failure to deduct dues has crippled operations in the union,” he added.

“We could not hold the 62nd Annual Delegates Conference for lack of funds. This is an indication of a choreographed strategy to kill Knut.”

Mr Sossion insisted the appointment of headteachers and their deputies should be based on minimum entry points as outlined in the scheme of service and code of regulations.

He added that the commission should not set standards that are not in line with requirements for TSC commissioners “as it is illogical and unsustainable”.

The Knut officials said TSC should review its policy on the transfer of teachers under the delocalisation programme.

COUNTING LEARNERS

Mr Sossion appealed to TSC to reinstate the 280 teachers who were interdicted or dismissed for opposing the competency-based curriculum training.

He backed the decision by the Ministry of Education to complement the National Education information Management System with the previous system of manually counting learners and schools.