Despite being one of the most important service providers in the country, teachers are faced with a failure by many governments to acknowledge the importance of teachers, despite the fact that every other profession depends on teachers.
Whenever teachers are demanding better pay, they are forced to take it out on the streets. KNUT’s former general secretary Wilson Sossion was one of the few teacher leaders who managed to negotiate better deals for the noble profession.
The current general secretary, Collins Oyuu, has been accused of going to bed with the government, making it impossible for teachers to receive pay increases.
According to Sossion, the current leadership is too soft and will not be able to negotiate a pay hike for teachers. History has shown that the government understands only the language of strikes. In 1997 the teachers went on a 12-day strike and finally achieved an increase of 150 to 200 percent in five installments. However, only one was paid. In 2002, President Kibaki promised to pay the remaining amount in four installments. Teachers were back on the streets in 2008 with a 10 percent increase for all teachers. President Uhuru’s government paid 13.5 billion in 2013.
In one installment on 1st July 2012. They also gave him 54 billion in 2017, which was to be paid in five years.
2022 will be the first time teachers will go to the ballot without assurances of better pay, thanks to its flawed leadership, where the general secretary has already voiced his support for Raila Odinga.
