The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Education Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi to reconstitute the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) failure to which they will mobilise teachers to strike.
Secretary General Wilson Sossion explained that the positions of five commissioners, including the chairman remain vacant and have continued to impact negatively on the country’s education standards.
“In the event of the Commissioners’ offices remaining vacant after the expiry of the next seven days, teachers will have no choice but to declare a trade dispute.
“This is the biggest affront to our rights. It is more dangerous than salary fights. If this is not done within the next seven days after the declaration, we shall declare a trade dispute in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Relations Act,” he said.
He demanded that the Education Secretary take immediate measures to ensure that the vacant offices of the commissioners and the chair are filled.
Sossion indicated that the vacuum has resulted in poor service delivery as teachers’ discipline cases are taking as long as sixteen months to be heard due to the shortage of commissioners.
“This matter shall escalate into a strike as shall be directed and as provided for in our KNUT constitution. So everyone concerned should be warned,” he said.
www.doitadigital.com