Higher Education Principal Secretary (PS) Dr Beatrice Inyangala has made an impassioned plea to both teaching and non-teaching university staff to return to the negotiation table and resolve their ongoing standoff with the government.
Speaking at the University of Embu during its 9th graduation ceremony, Dr Inyangala emphasized the critical need for dialogue, stressing that the strike was hurting students the most.
She urged all university personnel to place the students’ interests above all else, noting that their education had been heavily disrupted by the ongoing labour disputes.
Dr Inyangala acknowledged that progress had been made in negotiations between the government and the university unions, namely the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU).
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“Agreements have been reached on several key issues, which include a 7% increase in basic salaries, an adjustment in the retirement age, the introduction of a car mortgage scheme, and the establishment of a National Implementation Committee to oversee the proper execution of the newly signed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA),” she said.
The PS’s remarks came at a time when Kenya’s higher education sector is facing significant challenges, particularly financial constraints that have led to labour unrest.
Dr Inyangala reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the working conditions of university staff, even amidst these economic challenges.
She emphasized that the welfare of university workers is high on the government’s agenda, and the agreed-upon measures will ensure that staff members have a conducive environment to perform their duties effectively.
However, Dr Inyangala did not shy away from acknowledging the difficulties ahead, particularly in funding and maintaining these commitments. She reaffirmed the government’s determination to balance these staff welfare improvements with ensuring that learning in universities continues without further disruptions.
“The government is fully committed to offering university staff better terms of service that will allow them to dispense their services in comfortable working conditions,” she noted.
She urged all stakeholders in the education sector to be open and give their views on the new funding model to the 129-member taskforce which was appointed by the president to review it.
By Brian Kaleti
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