Junior Secondary School teachers in Taita-Taveta County have raised concerns over three critical issues affecting their welfare and working conditions, including the autonomy of Junior Secondary Schools, a medical insurance crisis, and discriminatory promotion criteria.
They are now demanding urgent intervention from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and other teachers unions to move with speed before they take an action to redress their concerns.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Taita-Taveta branch has also raised concerns about the current management structure of Junior Secondary Schools, which subjects JSS teachers to oversight by primary school administrators.
“The current management structure, which subjects JSS teachers to the oversight of primary school heads, is cited as a source of frustration, administrative conflict, and a hindrance to effective operations and extracurricular activities,” said Ishmail Omoke, KUPPET Taita-Taveta Executive Secretary.
Omoke emphasized that JSS teachers are strongly demanding full autonomy from primary school administration, insisting that junior secondary institutions should be led by their own Principal and Deputy Principal.
The demand comes amid nationwide demonstrations by JSS teachers pushing for institutional independence. According to recent reports, JSS instructors across Kenya have threatened to take legal action or stage strikes to protect their professional interests, with some even considering defecting from their unions if autonomy demands are not met.
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Omoke has therefore called on the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and KEPSHA to be at the forefront advocating autonomy stating, “They should join us as KUPPET and be in the forefront in advocating for the independence of Junior Secondary School Teachers.”
Even though TSC has made initial steps toward addressing the issue, with recent orders for the appointment of JSS teachers to act as JSS Deputy Principals on one-year contracts running through December 2025, the teachers argue these measures are insufficient and temporary solutions to a structural problem.
Adding to their grievances, Taita-Taveta JSS teachers are grappling with a medical insurance crisis that has left them financially vulnerable.
“All hospitals in Taita-Taveta County are reported to have suspended offering medical services under the AON/MINET (Teachers Service Commission) medical insurance scheme,” Omoke revealed.
According to him, the suspension forces teachers to pay for all medical services out-of-pocket, placing severe financial strain on educators and their families.
“This forces teacher to pay for all medical services out-of-pocket, placing a severe financial strain on them and their families. This occurs despite teachers having two medical covers (AON/MINET and NHIF) and comes at a time of harsh economic times,” he said.
The union has also highlighted discriminatory treatment regarding career progression for teachers serving in the county.
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Despite Taita-Taveta being officially recognized as a hard-to-staff region, educators in the area receive no preferential treatment for promotions.
“Taita-Taveta is officially recognized as a hard-to-staff region, which typically warrants special incentives to attract and retain teaching talent. Teachers in the county are still subject to the normal number of years and criteria for promotion, just like those in easier-to-staff counties,” Omoke explained.
He termed this lack of accelerated career progression as a major disincentive that undermines efforts to make the region more attractive for teachers and ensure staffing stability.
The KUPPET official called on the TSC and relevant government agencies to urgently address these issues to improve working conditions for teachers in the marginalized county.
The union has warned that failure to resolve these matters could lead to industrial action, joining other counties where teachers have already staged demonstrations over similar grievances.
By Michael Oduor
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