Teachers under the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have threatened industrial action following escalating tensions over leadership changes at Siakago Girls High School in Mbeere North, Embu County.
The union has strongly condemned alleged interference by Mbeere North is Leonard Njeru Wamuthende, accusing him of mobilising parents and stakeholders to reject the appointment of a newly posted principal.
According to KUPPET, such actions amount to unlawful interference in school administration and threaten the stability of learning institutions.
KUPPET officials insist that the recruitment, deployment, and transfer of teachers and principals fall exclusively under the mandate of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), and not politicians, parents, or local pressure groups.
They argue that attempts to influence these processes outside legal frameworks undermine professionalism in the education sector.
Rising tensions
Reports indicate that tensions at the school have been building, with parents staging protests over alleged poor performance and leadership concerns.
The situation has sparked heated debate, with KUPPET maintaining that even where concerns exist, due process through the TSC must be followed rather than public or political pressure.
The union has warned that continued interference could destabilise schools across the country, create fear among educators, and disrupt learning.
KUPPET leaders have further called on security agencies and the TSC to intervene and protect teachers from intimidation.
Threat of strike
“If the interference continues, we shall mobilise our members for industrial action,” the union warned, signalling a possible nationwide strike should the matter remain unresolved.
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The standoff now places pressure on education authorities to de escalate tensions and reaffirm the legal framework governing teacher management, as stakeholders await further direction from the TSC.
By Kithinji Njeru
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