The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has reported progress in ongoing engagements with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), while also outlining plans to strengthen internal reforms, embrace artificial intelligence (AI) policy development, and conduct its 2026 branch and national elections.
Speaking during the 27th Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) held in Homa Bay County, KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori said the union’s National Executive Board (NEB) recently held a two-day retreat with TSC to follow up on resolutions arising from President William Ruto’s meeting with teachers on September 13, 2025.
Misori said discussions focused on seven key issues, including the proposal to reduce the implementation period of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) from four to two years, promotion of an additional 25,000 teachers through a supplementary budget, review of the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), confirmation of 20,000 intern teachers into permanent terms, pension reforms, collective bargaining for examiners, and benefits under the new medical insurance scheme.
Other matters under consideration include the allocation framework for 20 per cent of Affordable Housing Programme units to teachers in Nairobi and other counties. The two sides are expected to harmonise their positions ahead of substantive deliberations scheduled for January 2026.
On union democracy, the Secretary General disclosed that KUPPET has received nomination forms from 766 aspirants across 24 counties ahead of the January 2026 elections. He cited Nandi County, where 51 candidates are contesting only 14 positions, as an indicator of growing confidence in the union’s leadership and electoral processes.
Misori assured members that the Committee on Elections will conduct the polls in strict adherence to the law and union regulations, guided by the principles of transparency, fairness and accountability.
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The ADC was also briefed on gains under the 2025–2029 CBA, which awarded salary increases of between five and 26 per cent over four years, with lower-grade teachers benefiting most. The lowest-paid post-primary teachers in Job Group C1 received a 26 per cent pay rise, while those in D5 recorded a five per cent increase.
However, KUPPET raised concerns over teacher stagnation, noting that despite the recent promotion of 25,000 teachers, at least 130,000 teachers remain stuck in the same job groups due to a promotion backlog dating back to the 2023/2024 financial year.
Beyond labour issues, Misori highlighted KUPPET’s growing international engagement. He said the union participated in programmes of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU), the International Labour Conference, and the Pan-African Conference on Teacher Education held at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. Senior officials also represented KUPPET at an Education International (EI) conference on Artificial Intelligence in Brussels.
“As teachers, we must not be managed by AI. Instead, we must rise and develop an AI policy to guide its use in KUPPET and in Kenya’s education sector,” Misori said.
The union also supported co-curricular activities, including sports, music and drama festivals, science congresses, academic fairs, and specialised training seminars for teachers with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairment, in line with its commitment to holistic education.
On internal reforms, Misori said KUPPET has mainstreamed training and capacity building for union officials through partnerships with Education International and the Canadian Federation of Teachers. He acknowledged that internal disputes and prolonged court cases had strained the union financially but called on delegates to prioritise unity, growth and creative leadership going forward.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga attended the conference as the Chief Guest.
By our reporter
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