By Tony Wafula
Bungoma branch KUPPET Chairman David Barasa is optimistic that he will retain his seat in next month’s election.
Saying he had done a lot to improve the welfare of teachers, the chairman urged members to re-elect him.
Barasa, who has been in office since 2017, is facing one opponent in the February 27 elections.
In an exclusive interview with Education News in his office, the unionist cited the growth of the Burial Benevolent Fund (BBF) as one of his achievements.
”When I took over leadership in 2017, there were 200 members registered with BBF but as I speak now we have over 2,700 teachers who have joined,” he said.
Through the programme, he said, many bereaved teachers have been getting assistance from the union.
He said during his tenure, the branch had sponsored 76 teachers for training on the marking of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.
Barasa further stated that the union had signed an MoU with Kibabii University which enables teachers who want to upgrade to a Bachelor’s degree, Masters or PhD to get a 15 per cent fee waiver.
”Today I was talking to the registrar of Kibabii University and he told me that KUPPET has had more than 176 beneficiaries of this arrangement and this is the kind of work I want to continue doing,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that the union had completed paying for a bus which he hoped would serve members well.
On teen pregnancies, Barasa differed with Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on the directive that pregnant or lactating students should go back to school, saying they need to undergo guidance and counseling before resuming class.
”Teen mothers should be mentally prepared to go back to school. They also need time to get pre and postnatal care and breastfeed their babies,” he said.
The unionist warned area politicians against politicising the running of schools.
”I have heard politicians making accusations against school heads in funerals and other meetings. This must stop to allow heads to do their job,” he said.
