TSC gives in to pressure and agrees to execute a difficult CBA in order to prevent a teachers’ strike.
This file photo shows Dr. Nancy Macharia, CEO of TSC. After deciding to execute the 2021–2025 CBA in phases, the commission is about to handle the teachers’ upcoming walkout.
Funds to completely execute the second phase of the updated 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) inked with teacher unions have been provided, according to a statement released by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
Thus, it suggests that if the unions decide to call off the strike, which is very likely, it may not occur until schools return the next week. The commission confirmed that it will implement the CBA in arrears beginning July 1, 2024, in a statement released immediately following the meeting with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT),
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) at Kenya School of Government today. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Nancy Macharia said in the release,
“After today’s discussions, the commission is pleased to announce that the government has provided funds for the implementation of the second phase of the CBA with effect from July 1, 2024.”
The commission added that it has addressed several issues brought up by the unions, citing the Career Progression Guideline (CPG) as one example. It also claimed that third-party deductions were current and that they are still being implemented.
The commission also observed that, because to government funding for teacher retraining in preparation for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), educators now have access to both public and private hospitals through the teachers’ medical plan.
In the statement, Dr. Macharia claims that the commission has elevated 51,232 teachers through competitive promotions and an additional 20,000 teachers per year through common cadre.
The unions have acknowledged the TSC’s stance and decided to confer with internal committees before rescinding the strike announcement.
Thus, we would like to express our gratitude to the unions for involving the commission in order to guarantee that school instruction won’t be disrupted in the third term of 2024,” Dr. Macharia stated.
Following the TSC engagement, teacher unions convene to choose the next course of action. After their NECs, there’s a good likelihood they’ll decide to call off the strike.
Now that funding for the execution of the second phase of the 2021–2025 CBA has been released by the government, she continued, “we are pleading with all of our teachers to report to schools on Monday for the start of the Third Term.”
Collins Oyuu, the secretary general of KNUT, stated to Education News this evening that the union’s first strike notice remains in effect until the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) convenes to decide how to proceed.
“TSC only addressed one issue; it neglected to address other important issues. Before we make any announcements, we must also confer with the National Executive Council (NEC) and our members,” Oyuu stated.
TSC gives in to pressure and agrees to execute a difficult CBA in order to prevent a teachers’ strike.
