The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) now wants the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) to solely be in charge of examinations and be advertising the vacancies for examiners in order to attract professionals for the job.
According to Knut, the examinations body has been using teachers against their will, who later turn out to be victims after things go wrong in examination rooms, leading to interdictions.
Knut’s Deputy National Treasurer James Ndiku said the Teachers Service Commission has interdicted several teachers after mistakes occurred in practical examinations after they were forced by their employer to invigilate the examinations against their will.
“Teachers are coerced by TSC to invigilate the national examinations only for them to carry the blame when a mishap occurs. a case in point is when a chemistry practical equipment were not properly organised, a matter that saw a teacher being interdicted.
AUTONOMOUS
“The Knec should be autonomous and be left with the duty of contracting the teachers so that they take leave from TSC in order to attract the professionals in invigilating the exams,’ Mr Ndiku said.
Speaking at Kenol town during the Knut Murang’a South branch annual general meeting on Saturday, Mr Ndiku noted that whenever teachers are called upon by their employer to invigilate exams, they do it out of fear of reprisals but against their will, adding that it is the exams body that should come up with terms of service for teachers.
He also sent a warning to the Ministry of Education to abolish trainings during weekends, saying this is disrespecting the teachers’ right of worship given that Saturdays and Sundays are the days of worship.
“This is forcing us to worship idols. Why can’t the ministry schedule the trainings during the weekdays or even towards the last week before the opening of the schools?” he posed, noting that it is against international labour standards for the government to force teachers to pay for their trainings.
