President Kenyatta commended both sides for showing restraint, negotiating in good faith and reaching the agreement within the October deadline he had instructed/PSCU
NAIROBI, Kenya, October 28 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has expressed optimism that the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the teachers unions will ensure industrial peace in the education sector.
President Kenyatta commended both sides for showing restraint, negotiating in good faith and reaching the agreement within the October deadline he had instructed.
“Today is a happier day: it is my pleasure to announce that the Teachers’ Service Commission and the teachers’ unions have concluded a Collective Bargaining Agreement. Once signed, the agreement will bind all parties until 2021,” he said.
The President was speaking at State House, Nairobi, after meeting leaders of the two teachers’ unions – the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
He said before the agreement was signed, the Government had to ensure that public money would be used prudently and teachers would be paid a fair wage to raise the standards of teaching in schools.
“I believe this latest Collective Bargaining Agreement meets these goals. It is within our means. It raises the wages of our teachers. And, in return for that improvement in terms and conditions, teachers will be assessed more closely, and required to raise their standards even higher,” President Kenyatta said.
The President said after the CBA, the Government will institute other policy measures to support development of the teaching profession.
He said the Ministry of Education should move with speed to establish the Kenya School of Education before Christmas so that from next year a framework of supporting teachers in professional growth and career development will be institutionalized.
Both the KUPPET and KNUT leaders thanked President Kenyatta for facilitating the signing of the ‘historic’ CBA and assured that they will work tirelessly to improve the standards of education in the country.
The teachers unions leaders included Omboko Milemba (KUPPET Chairman), Akello Misori (KUPPET Secretary General), Mudzo Nzili (KNUT Chairman) and Wilson Sossion (KNUT Secretary General).
Also present were Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, TSC Chairperson Lydia Nzomo and TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia among others.
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