The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has issued a seven-day strike notice for all teachers nationwide.
While addressing the press on Friday, March 14, KUPPET gave the government seven days to release over Ksh39 billion owed in capitation and medical scheme remittances.
KUPPET threatened to down tools for teachers over what they describe as the suffering of teachers across the country. The union is accusing the government of breaching court orders.
They argue that the return-to-work formula signed in August 2024 was deposited with the courts and is binding on the government. "The government is in defiance of court orders," KUPPET said.
According to the teachers’ union, the government owes Ksh28 billion in school capitation and Ksh11 billion for the teachers' medical scheme. “Some little money was released in September to fix the capitation. Up to date, the teacher's capitation has not been remitted for eight months,” KUPPET revealed.
This has resulted in schools sending students home, despite the government asking schools to hold students. In January, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba urged primary and secondary school head teachers not to send students home over unpaid fees.
He assured that the government is finalising the disbursement of an additional Ksh14 billion in capitation funds to schools, with the remaining amount to be released in the coming weeks.
But according to KUPPET, the government has released Ksh4,000 for each student instead of the expected Ksh11,000.
“A majority of students are at home. They were sent home after midterm to go and look for money,” KUPPET officials said.
They added, “They were supposed to remit about Ksh11,000 per student, but instead, they remitted Ksh4,000...”
Last year, KUPPET called its members to the streets for a strike that lasted one week. The strike, which paralysed schools, was initiated on August 26 to advocate for the full implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), promotions for teachers, and the regularisation of employment terms for junior secondary school teachers.
After a week of industrial action, KUPPET and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) reached an agreement to end the strike.
Key outcomes of this agreement included the government releasing funds to implement the second phase of the 2021–2025 CBA, effective July 1, 2024, resulting in salary adjustments for teachers, and the funding for the teachers' medical scheme being restored, ensuring continued healthcare benefits.
Both parties agreed to resolve any remaining issues through further negotiations, and the consent to end the strike was filed in the Employment and Labour Relations Court, making it a binding order.
