More than 10,000 teachers deployed to junior schools (JS) have found themselves at the centre of an escalating dispute between the country's two largest teachers' unions, raising fresh questions about their professional identity, labour rights and career progression.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has accused the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) of frustrating efforts by 10,250 teachers seeking to leave the union and join its ranks.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akelo Misori said the affected teachers had formally expressed their intention to switch unions but were yet to be released from KNUT's membership register.
The dispute stems from the government's deployment of more than 20,000 teachers from primary schools to junior secondary schools over the past three years to address staffing gaps under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
Misori argued that the deployment effectively moved the teachers into the post-primary education sector, making them eligible for representation by KUPPET.
He maintained that their appointment letters identify them as Secondary Teacher II, despite their continued association with a union whose recognition agreement covers primary school teachers.
KUPPET seeks TSC intervention
KUPPET wants the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to intervene and facilitate the transfer of the affected teachers, arguing that workers should be free to choose the trade union that represents their interests.
The union has also raised concerns over alleged double deductions of membership contributions, saying some teachers continue to have union dues deducted despite expressing their intention to change their affiliation.
Beyond the union dispute, the affected educators say their deployment has come with unresolved employment challenges, particularly in career progression, transfers and recognition of previous administrative experience.
Protas Kanake, the national coordinator representing deployed JSS teachers, said some educators who previously served as headteachers and deputy headteachers in primary schools had lost their leadership positions following deployment.
He said the current arrangements had left experienced teachers without clear professional advancement pathways despite taking up new responsibilities in junior schools.
The teachers are also demanding a review of the five-year transfer requirement, arguing that the policy has made it difficult for those deployed far from their homes to reunite with their families.
They want the TSC to consider their university specialisations and staffing needs when processing transfer applications instead of relying strictly on teacher-to-teacher swaps in similar subject areas.
KUPPET Chairman Omboko Milemba has called for legislative changes to give junior schools greater administrative autonomy and formally recognise the professional status of teachers deployed to the institutions.
The unfolding dispute places the TSC at the centre of a growing contest over who should represent teachers serving in junior schools as the country continues implementing its education reforms.
At stake is not just union membership, but also the employment terms, professional recognition and future career prospects of thousands of teachers caught between the transition from primary to junior secondary education.
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