By Fredrick Odiero
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has scoffed at reports that it has a deal with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) that will see secondary school teachers knocked out of KNUT membership.
Speaking to Education News on phone, KNUT secretary general Collins Oyuu said the reports are untrue and mere propaganda. Oyuu blamed a former top KNUT official for spreading false information about the Union.
He stated that the constitution of KNUT is very clear and allows any teacher to join the union.
He revealed that there are plans to have 47 KNUT branches instead of the current 110 saying that the current number of branches is untenable in the wake of the shaky financial position of the union.
He also revealed that on July 13TH, he signed a non-monetary Collective Bargaining Agreement with TSC. The agreement is expected to review salary pay rise in a year’s time. Some of the non-monetary benefits teachers will enjoy will include the extension of maternity leave.
According to some media reports, details have emerged that the union was offered a raw deal by TSC that will see high school teachers knocked out of the union. The new deal will also cripple the powers of the union leaders and bar school heads both in primary and secondary schools from joining the union in whatever capacity.
“Parties mutually agree that head teachers and or a teacher in an acting capacity of a head teacher shall not be a member of the union,” read part of the deal.
The union had earlier signed an agreement on promotion of teachers based on the Career Progression Guidelines (CPGs).
The stalemate between KNUT and TSC started from the union’s refusal to observe the Career Progression Guidelines as a form of promotion but maintained that the scheme of work is the determining factor. This led to a reduction in union membership from 187,000 to 15,000. The union’s revenue also reduced from Shs 144 million to Shs 11 million.
