The Kenyan government has welcomed the decision by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) to call off a teachers’ strike scheduled for Monday, August 26, 2024.
The Secretary of Education, Julius Migos Ogamba, expressed gratitude to the officials and members of KNUT for their decision, assuring that the government will work diligently to respond to the demands of the teachers.
Ogamba emphasized the commitment of the government to address the concerns of the teachers despite the current financial constraints facing the country. He assured that the government is really committed to solving all the legitimate problems raised by the teachers. The general secretary of education also asked parents and guardians to ensure that their children return to school as planned. He said the ministry has already released 21.8 billion kes as capital fund for all basic educational institutions to facilitate the smooth reopening of schools.
*Consultative approach and cooperation in the future*
Ogamba also said that the government, through a consultative approach involving all stakeholders, will work towards a satisfactory resolution of all outstanding issues. The goal is to create a supportive work environment for teachers, thereby improving their overall well-being and productivity.
KNUT decided to call off the planned national strike after a one-day meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) on Sunday 25 August 2024. The general secretary of the union, Collins Henry Oyuu, announced that the NEC had decided to withdraw the strike notice, which was set to expire at midnight of the same day. The union asked all teachers to return to work on Monday, August 26, 2024.
KNUT said the decision to call off the strike was made after carefully considering all available options and assessing the level of government commitment and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
Although the union admitted that not all measures taken by the government and the TSC were satisfactory, he believed that there was a real desire to respond to the demands of the union.
