Mutula orders teachers back to work

Kilonzo said the government would harmonise teachers’ salaries with other civil servants and implement an increase in three phases/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 19 – Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo has directed striking teachers to resume work on Thursday morning, failure to which they would face serious consequences.

Kilonzo said the government would harmonise teachers’ salaries with other civil servants and implement an increase in three phases.

“We have no budget now. The teachers are requested to report to their duty stations immediately and I mean tomorrow morning, failure to which I will be making recommendations to the Cabinet. So watch this space, for every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction, so there will be consequences,” he warned.

He said that the government had offered the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) to implement pay in three phases of Sh4.5 billion each, but which KNUT had rejected and instead demanded the entire Sh13.5 billion.

Kilonzo maintained that it was not possible for the government to implement the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) demand of 300 percent increment at once but can only do it in three phases.

“KNUT was demanding a 300 percent salary increment, which amounts to Sh460 billion annually up from the current TSC budget of Sh119 billion per annum.”

“The government within the prevailing economic difficulties has committed itself to realign teachers’ salaries within three phases,” he explained.

The Minister asked the teachers to be realistic and also honour the agreement they made with the government.

The Minister said he will on Thursday morning brief the Cabinet on the status of the discussion with the parties concerned to ensure education in public schools returns to normalcy in view that students are about to sit for the national examinations.

He also assured parents and students that examinations will not be cancelled despite the strike that has paralysed learning across all public schools.

About The Author

JUDIE KABERIA

Judie, an Associate Editor has worked as a journalist in Kenya and Germany. She has a Master’s Degree in New Media, Governance and Democracy, University of Leicester (U.K). She has scooped 10 journalistic awards. She has participated in international conferences in Germany, Switzerland, United States and Netherlands. Judie has written a booklet, ‘Justice and Peace in the Kenyan Eye’. She has a soft spot for human rights, crime, peace and justice stories.

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