KUPPET Homa Bay writes to SRC to review allowances for KNEC exam supervisors, invigilators

KUPPET Homa Bay County has warned that teachers will not participate in invigilation, supervision or marking of national examinations unless outstanding allowances are paid and new rates are agreed before the examination season begins, as the union pushes the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to review what it calls "slavery wages" for examination personnel.

Branch Executive Secretary Tom Odhiambo briefed members on Saturday on the resolutions of the recent National Governing Council (NGC) meeting during a session held at the County Teachers' Hall in Homa Bay Town, bringing together Branch Governing Council members, school representatives and Junior Secondary teachers drawn from all eight sub-counties of Homa Bay Town, Rangwe, Ndhiwa, Suba North, Suba South, Rachuonyo North, Rachuonyo South and Rachuonyo East.

Odhiambo said the main agenda at the NGC was the quest for decent payment of teachers serving as national supervisors, centre managers and invigilators during the KCSE, KJSEA and KPSEA examinations. According to the rates tabled before the NGC, a KCSE supervisor is paid Sh680 per day, a centre manager Sh550 and an invigilator Sh510. For KJSEA, a supervisor receives Sh4,080 for seven days, a centre manager Sh3,300 and an invigilator Sh3,070, while for KPSEA a supervisor gets Sh2,535 for four days, a centre manager Sh1,615 and an invigilator Sh1,665. Examiners marking scripts are paid between Sh30 and Sh150 per paper.

Odhiambo said the NGC has written to the SRC demanding a joint meeting with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to agree on new rates of not less than Sh4,000 per day before October 19, when KCSE oral and practical papers begin.

He noted that although KNEC Chief Executive Officer David Njengere announced that Sh4.95 billion had been released to clear outstanding arrears, and Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok had assured teachers of payment, many teachers in Homa Bay are yet to receive their 2024 and 2025 dues, while Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has stated that no additional allocation exists.

"As a branch, we will not allow our members to be exploited. If the money is not in their accounts, there will be no invigilation, supervision or marking in Homa Bay County," Odhiambo declared.

Odhiambo's second key resolution concerned the Annual Retreat and the Annual Delegates Conference. He announced that the NGC has set November for the National Annual Retreat for all Branch Executive Secretaries and Branch Chairpersons, to be held in Kilifi in the Mombasa region, ahead of the Annual Delegates Conference scheduled for November/December as provided for under Article 14 of the KUPPET Constitution. He confirmed that Homa Bay will send a full delegation of 12 officials to the coast.

Odhiambo said the Kilifi retreat will focus on financial literacy for teachers facing high taxation, implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), reforms on the AON-Minet medical cover, Junior Secondary School domiciliation and career progression, and branch investment projects. He praised the KUPPET Kilifi Branch under Secretary Omollo Koppolo for acquiring a union bus worth Sh8.5 million, saying Homa Bay will borrow lessons from the coast branch on income-generating projects.

He also briefed members on other NGC resolutions, including a decision to co-opt KESSHA representatives into Branch Governing Councils to strengthen cooperation between principals and classroom teachers and end unnecessary conflicts in schools. On Junior Secondary School issues, he said the union has collected views from over 40,000 JSS teachers nationally on autonomy and career progression, which will be presented to the Teachers Service Commission.

On staffing, he noted that while the government has employed 100,000 teachers since 2022, the deficit still stands at 106,660, and the NGC demands that the remaining 20,000 teachers be recruited by December as promised. The NGC also rejected the proposed six education bills under the Basic Education Bill 2026, arguing that legislation should not precede policy and a sessional paper, and urged members to participate in the ongoing public participation.

In his concluding remarks, Odhiambo called for unity among teachers in Homa Bay County, assuring members that the branch is fully behind Secretary General Akello Misori and the NGC. He said the branch will travel to Kilifi in November to strategise before returning stronger for the Annual Delegates Conference, and urged members to update their union records and remain vigilant as the national examination season approaches.