The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Taita Taveta branch has stated that teachers in the county are ready to down their tools if their employer Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will not call the union top organs for salary talks over 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Speaking to Education News this morning the branch Executive Secretary Ismael Omoke, who is also defending his seat in 2026 polls in the branch, said that they are in full support of the strike warning which was issued recently by KUPPET national office adding that teachers want better terms of service and improved pay package.
“The National office issued a strike warning over the delayed CBA talks and us in Taita Taveta we are ready. A new CBA should already been signed considering the life span of the 2021-2025 CBA is ending on June 30, 2025,” said Omoke.
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“The union has already presented its demands and up to now, TSC has remained to be adamant. It is upon them, if they call us, the better to the teaching fraternity, and if they don’t call us, they will have themselves to blame for not calling the union to the negotiation table, on behalf of teachers because we are the voice of the voiceless,” he added.
KUPPET has registered a dispute with the Ministry of Labour stating that the TSC has frustrated talks over the new 2025-2029 CBA and threatening a major strike, with Secretary General Akello Misori noting that TSC has failed to invite teachers to the table to discuss the new CBA.
Omoke also commended on the work Junior School teachers are doing in helping Grade 9 learners and parents in school and pathway selection a head of Grade 10 transition at Senior School next year.
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He also welcomed teachers and learners for Coast Region Music Festival which will be held in Kenyatta High School in Taita Taveta, wishing teachers in his county good time during the half term break.
“The first phase of second term period had a lot of activities that is music, sports, and daily academic routines. So teachers should take a rest and bond with their families. The teams that have proceeded to Regionals in Lamu we are wishing them all the best as we prepare for the Regional Music Festival to be held in Taita Taveta-Kenyatta High School, so we welcome the entire Coast region,” said Omoke.
His sentiments were also echoed by Taita Taveta KNUT executive secretary, Lennox Mshila who reiterated that teachers in that region expects a lot from TSC and the government at large failure to which they will down their tools.
“As teachers from this end, there is a lot of expectations from the employer and government, so failure to honor definitely wont be business as usual, but we pray for the best in terms of CBA accomplishment,” he warned.
Mshila further noted that the employer must also accomplish the house allowances for the entire county staffing and have an improved implementation of the CBE to all learners, adding that most of teachers are stressed and needs to know their fate early in the anticipated 2025/2029 CBA.
By Hezron Roy
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