By John Majau
A student leader has said the best way to end the perennial and persistent lecturers’ strikes is by allocating enough funds meant to pay their salaries and urged the national treasury to ensure that it sets aside money for the purpose.
The University of Nairobi Students Association (UNSA) Chairman Antony Manyara said such a move would resolve once and for all the perennial lecturers’ strikes which have negatively affected the learning process with students forced to spend more years than the stipulated time frames to complete their courses.
The student leader now wants the National Government to urgently address the issue of lecturers’ persistent strikes in a bid to come up with a lasting solution to the dons’ push for better pay.
“I urge the Government to urgently come up with a lasting solution to the dons’ push for better pay”, he said.
Speaking at Nyambene Girls Secondary School in Tigania East constituency of the Meru County during his homecoming party, Manyara said they want the universities to engage in smooth learning without unnecessary interruptions in order to enable them complete their courses in time.
Last month, the lecturers signed a back-to-work agreement with the Labour Ministry after threats of being sacked, effectively ending their 78-day strike.
But there was no deal, with the lecturers vowing to press for the signing of the controversial 2017/2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)and a pay increase.
“This issue of lecturers going on strike every other day should be resolved once and for all. The Treasury should allocate funds to pay the lecturers so that we can get value for money.The Treasury should consider the dons and their work,” said Manyara.
The student leader was controversially sworn in on April 19 as the UNSA Chairman amid protests by students and other contestants that the election was not properly conducted.
But Manyara said the elections were over and called on his colleagues to resume classes now that the lecturers had agreed to go back to class.
“I urge all students to desist from engaging in acts of hooliganism and get back to class because a lot of time has already been wasted with the lecturers strike,” said Manyara.
