The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has condemned the recent sacking of approximately 700 Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers by Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
In a memo signed by KUPPET Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima on behalf of the union Secretary General Akello Misori dated June 12, 2024, addressing all the union branch executive secretaries seen by Education News, regretted that TSC had betrayed all the agreements reached between the two in the return to work formula negotiated on behalf of JSS teachers.
“The union has learnt with concern about the dismissal from service of approximately 700 teachers from JSS. The Return-to-Work Formula (RTWF) that KUPPET negotiated with TSC on behalf had to preconditions.
“That all teachers would resume work on June 3, and no teacher would be punished from participating in legitimate labour action that preceded the RTWF. That all show-cause letters and notices to exit earlier issued to the teachers would be withdrawn for all those who resumed duty for normalcy to return to the JSS institutions,” the memo reads in part.
Also, KUPPET and TSC had earlier agreed that teachers who resumed work on June 3, 2024 either at their respective schools or at the retooling centres had no disciplinary issues ensuing irrespective of whether they replied to show-cause letters or not.
Nthurima directed the branch executive secretaries to gather information in their area of jurisdiction of any JSS teachers who have been served with letters of termination despite them returning to work.
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“By this memo, you are instructed to collect information from any and all teachers from your jurisdiction who were dismissed despite having resumed work as per the RTWF. The information, including evidence of resumption of work on June 3, 2024, should reach the undersigned by the close of business on Friday, June 14, 2024,” the memo also reads.
TSC on Monday started serving the JSS teachers with termination of internship contracts just few days after they announced that they have halted their demos to what the commission termed as professional misconduct by the intern teachers who had taken to streets to lament poor pay and conversion of their contracts to Permanent and Pensionable (PnP) terms.
“Reference is made to the show cause letter in which you were accorded an opportunity to explain the reasons why your engagement as an intern should not be terminated on account of professional misconduct.
“The Commission has carefully considered your response and found the same to be unsatisfactory,” TSC wrote in letters served to terminated intern teachers.
By Vostine Ratemo
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