KUPPET In Support Of JSS Intern Teachers Strike
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has voiced strong support for the ongoing strike by intern teachers, urging the government to allocate funds for hiring these educators on permanent terms. The strike endangers the education of over 2.5 million Grade 8 and 9 students in junior secondary schools (JSS), exacerbating the disruption caused by extensive flooding across the country.
Kuppet’s secretary-general, Akello Misori, highlighted the strike’s impact, noting that learning has been completely halted in all JSS classes as teachers protest. Misori sent letters to Parliament, the National Treasury, and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) seeking intervention to resume teaching and address the teachers’ grievances.
Misori emphasized the need for the TSC to negotiate within legal frameworks to resolve the employment issues of 46,000 intern teachers, most of whom are in JSS. He called for an urgent meeting with the TSC to find an amicable solution to the crisis.
Additionally, Kuppet has urged the Treasury to allocate funds for employing the intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms. A letter dated May 14 addressed to the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury requested immediate initiation of resource earmarking for this purpose.
Owino Okello, the chairman of intern teachers in Nairobi, reiterated the teachers’ commitment to the strike, despite threats. He referenced a Labour Relations Court ruling that nullified the internship status for trained, registered, and licensed teachers. Okello stated that they would comply with the court ruling by continuing to stay away from schools.
The ongoing strike and the subsequent disruption in education underline the urgency of resolving the employment status of intern teachers. Kuppet’s involvement and calls for governmental action reflect the critical need for a sustainable solution to ensure that educational activities can resume and that the teachers’ employment terms are regularized.
KUPPET In Support Of JSS Intern Teachers Strike
