The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has asked all teachers to report to school on Monday, after l announced on Wednesday August 21 that funding has been secured for the delayed implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The call comes as unions consider giving up an earlier strike notice.
The TSC directive follows President William Ruto’s instructions for the commission to engage with key unions namely the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers ( KUPPET) and the Kenya Union of Special Education Teachers (. KUSNET).
The unions had issued a strike notice over pending issues affecting public school teachers. TSC secretary Nancy Macharia said the government has allocated funds for the second phase of the CBA, which will come into effect on July 1, 2024. Teachers are expected to return to duty at the start of the third term. The delayed implementation of the collective agreement has been at the center of recent discussions between the TSC and the unions.
*Response to union concerns*
In addition to the collective agreement, the commission responded to several other concerns raised by the unions:
Review of career progression guidelines.
Timely payment of network charges.
Access to public and private hospitals under the teachers’ medical scheme.
Macharia noted that the government has also provided resources to realign teachers to support the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). TSC has promoted 51,232 teachers through competitive processes, and another 20,000 teachers are promoted annually through common cadre promotions.
The unions have acknowledged the efforts of TSC and will consult with their internal bodies regarding the strike notice. Macharia commended the unions for their efforts to ensure that learning in schools is not disrupted during the third term.
