MoE working on better offer for striking university lecturers, Ogamba reveals

Speaking to journalists after presiding over the 10th graduation ceremony at Thika Technical Training Institute, Ogamba said the government was seeking an improved figure and would then call the unions back to the table with a second offer. "The figure that was given was Sh9.7 billion, which was rejected. So we are working towards improving that figure and then calling the unions back to the table to give them the second offer," he said.

Ogamba said the government had cleared salary arrears from earlier CBA cycles, but negotiations over the current agreement stalled after the university unions rejected the Sh9.7 billion allocation. He said the talks had taken longer than expected because the Ministry had to consult the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the National Treasury before making a financially sustainable offer.

According to the CS, the government is weighing the unions' demands against three considerations: affordability, comparability with pay arrangements elsewhere in the public sector, and long-term sustainability. He said the government could not commit to a salary package without assurances that funds would be available throughout the agreement period, and that officials were engaging the Treasury to secure the necessary financial commitment before presenting a new proposal.(Education News Kenya — https://educationnews.co.ke/news/moe-working-on-better-offer-for-striking-university-lecturers-ogamba-reveals)

He said the unions want the proposed salaries and allowances funded directly through the National Treasury, rather than leaving individual universities to carry the cost. The next offer, he said, would therefore have to be backed by a credible funding commitment.

Ogamba declined to say when the strike would end. "I can't predict because I would be negotiating with myself. I need to sit with them and see whether they accept," he said.

He urged lecturers to return to the classroom as negotiations continued, warning that prolonged industrial action would disrupt learning and force institutions to reorganise their academic calendars to recover lost time. He also said a court had declared the strike unprotected following proceedings initiated by the employers, and urged lecturers to comply with the court orders while the parties pursued a settlement.

The CS said the government would provide further information as talks progressed, but a settlement could not be guaranteed until the parties had considered and agreed on the terms. He appealed to lecturers and their representatives to engage constructively, saying students should not bear the cost of the disagreement over pay.

Ogamba also addressed preparations for the national examinations, saying about 3.5 million learners are expected to sit the papers. He said examination materials had been distributed to designated storage containers across the country, with arrangements under way to transport them to examination centres, and that supervisors, invigilators, examiners and field officers had been prepared through rehearsals and coordination activities.

He said the government was working with the Ministry of Interior, the Kenya Red Cross and other agencies to identify areas that could be affected by heavy rains, flooding or impassable roads, so that candidates in remote areas are not disadvantaged. "We have ensured that in those areas the materials are in place early enough so that if there is a place that is cut off, at least the materials will be within that area," he said. Arrangements have also been made for aerial transportation of materials where necessary.

Ogamba warned candidates, teachers, invigilators and other officials against examination malpractice, saying anyone found culpable would face the law. He said the government would pursue criminal and administrative action against anyone involved in cheating or leaking examination papers, and that candidates found guilty risked having their results cancelled.

He said additional safeguards had been introduced, including anonymisation of examination scripts, changes to procedures for accessing and distributing examination papers and colour coding for selected papers. The government is working with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), ICT agencies and the Ministry of Interior to protect the process.

"We are not only doing this for Kenya, but we are doing this globally, so that when you have a certificate from Kenya, a degree from Kenya or a diploma from Kenya, it is respected across the world," he said.

At the ceremony, 5,421 trainees received diplomas and certificates in various fields. Ogamba renewed the government's commitment to positioning technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a driver of industrialisation, job creation and economic transformation.

"We are ensuring that we keep pushing so that this sector becomes the engine of industrialisation in our country," he said. He congratulated the graduates and their parents and expressed optimism that their qualifications would open up opportunities for employment, self-employment and further professional development.