Breaking: KUPPET calls off teachers’ strike

By Peter Ochieng

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) leadership has called off its member’s strike. The strike had entered its second week on Monday, paralysing learning in secondary and High Schools across the country.

KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori said the strike was suspended after arriving at a tentative agreement with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

He directed teachers to report back to class with immediate effect, as talks continue with TSC leadership.

"In the ensuing arrangement and in compliance with the court order which is coming up on September 5, Thursday, from the union side, we suspend our strike and ask all our teachers to go back to class pending the speedy resolutions of these matters as already agreed upon between us and the commission," he said.

TSC on the other hand said no teacher will be victimised for taking part in the industrial action.

The strike was called to push for the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The Kenya Kwanza government has implemented the second phase of the CBA on salary increment, but KUPPET maintained that it was insufficient to meet the teachers' needs.

"Our struggle is not about the Sh1,000 increment. We have loans to pay, and many of us have invested in higher education."

KUPPET had however acknowledged some progress, including the government's commitment to hire Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers and properly remunerate those serving in acting positions.

Some schools had started sending learners back home. Some of them had on Monday sent short messages to parents asking them to pick up their children, after Misori warned that the strike would be long.

"You cannot keep students in schools without teachers. Parents who continue to send their children to school during this period are doing so at their own risk. KUPPET will not be held responsible.”

Learning is expected to resume on Tuesday.