The Kenya National Union of Teachers KNUT Meru Central branch Executive Secretary Caxton Miungi has accused the government of reintroducing the delocalization program through the back door by promoting teachers and transferring them to a different county.
Miungi said once teachers successfully apply for promotion and there is no vacancy in their home counties, they are transferred to other counties.
Speaking at Gikumene primary school in Meru town during the Meru Central branch annual general meeting, Miungi said the promoted teachers are left with no alternative but to relocate because nobody can refuse promotion while still working.
“Teachers who have been promoted but fail to get any vacancy in their home counties are left with no alternative but to go on transfer failure to which they forfeit the promotion. This is nothing but reintroducing delocalisation through the back door but under a different hat. They are being pushed to a corner, without any other option,” lamented Miungi.
He also called on the government to release the capitation fund on time and the right amount in order to enable schools programs to run seamlessly.
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The official regretted that principals and head teachers at times don’t have money to run their institutions on a day to day basis including paying suppliers and workers due to the delay.
Miungi, however lauded the government for introducing baggage allowance for teachers going on transfer and giving lactating mothers a two hour break daily for two months to breastfeed their children.
He also called on TSC to give hardship allowances to teachers working in Laikipia and Isiolo counties and near forests due to the frequent elephant menace they face while on the line of duty.
He further urged teachers to embrace attending such important forums where vital decisions touching on their welfare are discussed.
Speaking at the same forum, Meru County government Chief Of Staff Dr. Julius Mbijiwe said they have factored the ECDE teachers in this years’ budget.
He said they have budgeted for the scheme of service for ECDE teachers to ensure that they are promoted, their salaries increased and more are employed in order to ease work burden.
“ECDE teachers had stagnated in one grade since they were employed. Am reassuring them that this is a thing of the past because money has been set aside for their scheme of service,” noted Dr. Mbijiwe.
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He assured teachers that the county government will give them priority during employment opportunities noting that already some have been recruited.
He challenged teachers to contest for the elective seats since they are equal to the task adding that teachers are capable of changing the leadership of the country.
He said education is the key to success at both the county and national level.
He also appealed to the Treasury CS to rethink his decision to cancel the free education program.
Dr Mbijiwe said Parliament should discuss the issue in bid to reverse it and ensure that the free education program continues uninterrupted.
By John Majau.
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