- KNUT has rejected proposals to reintroduce corporal punishment in learning institutions, saying discipline is primarily the responsibility of parents.
- Deputy Secretary-General Hesbon Otieno said teachers are trained to teach, not to punish learners.
- The union also demanded an explanation for recent salary deductions and called for accelerated teacher promotions.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has opposed calls for the reintroduction of corporal punishment in learning institutions across the country.
KNUT Deputy Secretary-General Hesbon Otieno said such forms of punishment should remain the responsibility of parents within their respective homes.
Otieno maintained that disciplining children remains primarily the preserve of parents and not teachers.
Speaking at Obede Primary School in Kisumu West during a thanksgiving ceremony for KNUT Kisumu City Branch Chairman Evans Dola, Otieno said learners who are undisciplined should be sent home so that their parents can instill discipline in them.
He emphasized that the work of teachers is to teach rather than discipline learners.
“Teachers are never trained to discipline students but to teach them,” he said.
The trade unionist added that learners who misbehave should be sent home immediately to allow their parents to address the issue.
Otieno also questioned recent deductions made from teachers’ salaries across the country, saying the union was still waiting for an official explanation.
He said teachers deserve clarity regarding the deductions and why they were effected.
“We are still waiting today why that deduction has been done,” he said.
The KNUT official noted that the union expects a clear explanation from the relevant authorities.
CBA implementation and promotions
Otieno said the second phase of the teachers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will be implemented next month after the government set aside KSh8.4 billion for the exercise.
He said the union would continue pushing until the funds are fully implemented for teachers’ benefit.
The Deputy Secretary-General also criticized what he described as punitive Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), saying many teachers have stagnated in the same grades for years.
He called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to promote deserving teachers and ensure that qualified educators have an opportunity to progress through the ranks.
According to Otieno, teachers can now rise to the highest grades provided they possess the required qualifications and credentials.
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Also present at the function was Kisumu County Deputy County Director for the Teachers Service Commission, Emarensia Ojwando.
She urged parents to guide their children and help them grow into responsible citizens.
KNUT Kisumu City Executive Secretary David Obuon, on his part, decried the gap between the union and some elected leaders in the area, calling for stronger engagement on issues affecting teachers and education.
By Fredrick Odiero
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