Teachers blast KNEC over Women’s Day Greeting amid unpaid allowances 

A storm erupted on social media yesterday, with teachers in Kenya lambasting the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) for wishing women a Happy International Women’s Day, while still owing contracted professionals, including women, their allowances for administering national examinations.

The backlash began after KNEC posted a message on Facebook celebrating women’s contributions, which was met with anger and disappointment from teachers who felt the gesture was tone-deaf.

Many who expressed disappointments, said they endured grueling marking schedules and tight deadlines, only to be left waiting for their compensation.

“How can they wish us Happy Women’s Day when they can’t even pay us our dues?” tweeted one teacher. “We worked tirelessly to mark scripts and now we’re being ignored.”

Another teacher chimed in: “It’s easy to post feel-good messages, but what about the struggles we face? We’ve been waiting for months to be paid.”

The teachers’ anger is palpable, with many feeling that KNEC has taken advantage of their dedication and hard work. The unpaid allowances are not just a financial issue, but also a matter of principle.

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“We’re not just asking for favors, we’re owed this money,” said a teacher. “KNEC needs to prioritize paying us over posting empty messages on social media.”

The teachers cited pressure of marking and administering exams adding that they felt overworked and underappreciated.

KNEC has yet to respond to the criticism, but the incident has sparked a wider conversation about the treatment of teachers and contract workers in Kenya. As one teacher put it, “If they can’t even pay us, how can they expect us to deliver quality exam administration in the future?”

By Kimtai Cherongis