Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has asserted that Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) will not be implemented successfully if the teachers who are at the centre stage of its implementation are not properly motivated.
KUPPET Busia Executive Secretary Moffat Okisai stated that the success of CBC highly depends on the motivation of the implementers stating that a demotivated teacher is unproductive worker.
Okisai noted that referring to a trained and qualified teacher as an intern is an abuse and demeaning, observing that the role of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) as per section 237 of the constitution is to register, recruit, deploy, promote, and discipline qualified teachers.
“There is no mention of an intern anywhere among the mandates and roles of TSC. All registered teachers have outgrown being referred to as interns. This is after successful completion of the teaching practice exercise called internship in other professions,” said Okisai.
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“TSC is referring to teachers as interns in order to underpay them. This is against fair labour practices. In addition, it’s breach of the Bill of Rights Cap.4 section 41 which states that every employee is entitled to fair remuneration. An emolument of KSh17, 000 is outright mockery to the Moguls,” he added.
Okisai observed that doctor’s union, the Kenya Union of Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) has rejected a remuneration of KSh70, 000 for its interns and that TSC paying its qualified employees KSh17, 000 is unacceptable.
“TSC is perpetuating discrimination in the education sector. JSS teachers have varied remuneration for the same tasks performed. We’ve JSS cohort one, JSS cohort two, JSS under permanent and pensionable terms, JSS deployed from primary. There’s conflict in the remuneration,” said Okisai.
The same call was supported by KUPPET Tana River Executive Secretary Omondi Oluoch who in their petition they presented to TSC through Tana River TSC County Director in Hola, stated that the Commission should immediately confirm all JSS interns to permanent and pensionable terms, compensate them for the period they worked as interns and to fully obey and uphold court orders.
By Roy Hezron
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