The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Narok Branch, is intensifying its calls on the government to officially declare the County a hardship area, citing worsening conditions for teachers working in the region.
Branch Secretary Charles Ngeno stated that teachers in Narok continue to face daily challenges that their colleagues in other parts of the country do not encounter, including insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, and harsh living conditions.
“Violence and impassable roads have become part of our daily lives,” said Ngeno. “Teachers are risking their lives just to get to school, and yet they do not receive any form of hardship compensation.”
Speaking to the press, he said the long-overdue gazettement would pave the way for teachers in Narok to receive improved remuneration and benefits under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which already recognizes the region as both Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) and a highly disturbed area.
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“We are not asking for favors,” he emphasized. “This is a matter of fairness and justice. The CBA acknowledges the status of this region, but the government has yet to act.”
The union leader added that designating Narok as a hardship area would not only benefit current teachers, but also attract more educators to remote and volatile regions such as Olposimoru and parts ofthat are currently grappling with teacher shortages.
“Schools in these areas are struggling,” said Ngeno. “We need more teachers, but no one is willing to work under such tough conditions without proper compensation.”
He further noted that the absence of hardship allowances has significantly demoralized local teachers, many of whom have contemplated transfers or quitting the profession altogether.
“This is an issue we’ve pushed for years. Teachers feel abandoned,” he lamented. “The government must listen to our voices and act without further delay.”
The union is now urging the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to fast-track the gazettement process and ensure teachers in Narok receive the support they deserve.
By Kimutai Langat
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