Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) teachers in Bungoma County have vowed not to report to class when schools resume unless the National Government through the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) place them on Permanent and Pensionable terms.
Addressing journalists in the county led by Titus Lusaka Wafula, Ndeta Dalmas and Naomi Khaemba, the JSS instructors noted that they receiving a low salary of KSh17, 000 in the name of Stipends and yet the cost of living is high.
According to the teachers, TSC should obey court orders which directed that the on-going internship programme that has been extended for another one year is illegal as per the Labour Laws.
They have urged the commission to stop giving out employment letters to Members of Parliament who dish them out in church functions and funerals to gain political mileage.
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Khaemba said that are just like other graduates and need to be treated with respect in the Public Service.
On her part, Esther Wanyonyi, a Junior Secondary teacher at Antony Rc Ilwalala Primary School who graduated in 2015 decried that there is discrimination in employment of teachers hence priority should be given as per the graduation year and age brackets.
She has noted that a school has one teacher and yet he or she is expected to teach 14 subjects in total hence the lack of enough learning materials.
Last Week, during a press address, the Chairman of KUPPET Bungoma County Branch David Barasa accompanied by the Secretary-General Augustine Kundu Luketelo said that they are in solidarity with JSS teachers their quest.
Mr Barasa and Luketelo reiterated that many tutors are grappling with challenges in their duty stations like lack of facilities and yet they receive a low pay from National Government in the name of an Internship Programme.
The two unionists called upon on President Dr William Samoei Ruto to intervene into the issues affecting JSS teachers including a directive to employ them on permanent terms so as to bridge the gap of shortages in the teaching fraternity.
Achola Bulimo Mathews
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