The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) held a demonstration in Kisii town today, demanding better services from their employer, the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC).
Led by their Executive Secretary, Abel Kinyanchui, hundreds of post-primary teachers marched from Daraja-Mbili through Kisii town to the County offices of the teachers’ employer. The teachers carried placards and chanted slogans, accusing the Commission of ignoring their welfare and failing to honour past agreements.
Kinyanchui accused Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale of gross negligence towards teachers. He said that forcing teachers to register with the Social Security Health Authority Fund does not work because of many excuses, ranging from internet failures at the time of need to system delays in hospitals.
“Hii SHA tumeikata kwa kutusumbua – we have rejected this SHA scheme for disturbing us,” Kinyanchui said. He argued that teachers have been stranded in hospitals while seeking treatment because the SHA system is unreliable. He demanded that the teachers’ employer revert to the previous comprehensive medical scheme or negotiate a new, functional cover.
The Union also advocated for permanent employment terms for intern teachers in the country. Kinyanchui said intern teachers are exploited with low pay and job insecurity, yet they handle the same workload as permanent and pensionable staff. “It is modern slavery. The employer must confirm all intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms immediately,” he stated.
The teachers further demanded autonomy for Junior Secondary School teachers. Kinyanchui noted that JSS teachers are stuck under primary school administrations without clear structures, promotion pathways, or representation. He called for JSS to be fully domiciled in secondary schools with its own administrative units and schemes of service.
Kinyanchui said union members are also frustrated by chronic delays in promotions. He stated that many teachers have stagnated in the same job groups for more than a decade despite acquiring higher academic qualifications and meeting performance targets. “The employer is killing morale in our schools. You cannot tell a teacher with a Master’s degree to remain in job group C3 for 12 years,” he said.
The union further faulted the teachers’ employer over the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Kinyanchui argued that the monetary component of the CBA was skewed in favour of administrators, leaving classroom teachers with minimal gains. He demanded a review of the CBA to address pay disparities across all cadres.
Other grievances listed included acute teacher shortages caused by 100 percent transition and the CBC rollout. Kinyanchui said most secondary schools in Kisii are understaffed, forcing teachers to handle up to 70 students per class with 30 lessons per week. He added that the heavy workload has led to burnout and rising cases of mental health issues among teachers.
The teachers also cited delayed remittance of third-party deductions to banks, Saccos, and insurance firms. Kinyanchui claimed some members have been listed with CRB due to loan defaults caused by the employer’s late deductions.
On hardship allowances, Kinyanchui said the teachers’ employer has unfairly removed some parts of Kisii County from the hardship zone despite poor infrastructure and insecurity. He demanded reinstatement of the allowance for all affected sub-counties.
The union issued a 14-day ultimatum to the employer to convene a meeting and address the grievances. Kinyanchui warned that failure to act will lead to a full work boycott by all union members in Kisii County starting next month.
“Teachers are not beggars. We are professionals demanding dignity,” Kinyanchui told the crowd outside the employer’s offices. “If the employer cannot listen, we will make them listen through action.”
The teachers later presented a written petition to the County Director’s office. The demonstration ended peacefully under the watch of police officers. No property was destroyed, and no arrests were made.
READ ALSO: Nyandarua JSS teachers protest low pay, demand permanent employment
The County office of the teachers’ employer and the Ministry of Health had not responded to the petition by the time of going to press.
By Enock Okong’o
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
>>> Click here to stay ahead with the latest national news.
