The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) is calling on parents and school principals across Kenya to withdraw students from schools as the teachers’ strike escalates.
KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori stressed the importance of prioritizing the safety of both schools and students, especially for those principals who may have been misled by incorrect information.
Misori announced that teachers plan to stay home for at least the next week. “You cannot keep students in schools without teachers. Parents who continue to send their children during this period do so at their own risk. KUPPET will not be held responsible,” he stated.
He further cautioned that teachers remain committed to their strike, urging principals to refrain from actions that might endanger the safety of schools.
Simultaneously, Misori criticized the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for its divisive tactics, claiming that the commission has consistently undermined the union’s efforts to enhance teachers’ welfare. He urged parents and principals to exercise due diligence before engaging in what he termed the TSC’s “mischievous arrangement” of issuing threats to teachers.
“We ask parents and principals to conduct due diligence and refrain from participating in this deceptive scheme by the TSC that involves threatening teachers,” he said.
According to Misori, the ongoing strike has evolved into a larger struggle for teachers’ rights, especially regarding their career progression. “This industrial action has now transformed into a struggle. Without a review of career progression, the situation remains untenable,” he asserted.
He pointed out that even when teachers have loans to pursue further education, the current education system demands that teachers possess research skills. “Teachers with master’s and PhD degrees will significantly contribute to this country,” he added.
Misori emphasized that when teachers move from one grade to another, their status is elevated, yet the employer has refused to acknowledge this elevation.
