Teachers Settle for Ksh400 Wage as Hunger Bites

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Youth involved in unblocking of a drainage under the Kazi Mtaani program.
File

Following the directive by Education CS George Magoha on the closure of schools until 2021, a section of teachers have turned to President Uhuru Kenyatta's Kazi Mtaani initiative to make ends meet.

The National Hygiene Program (NHP), dubbed Kazi Mtaani, is a national initiative designed to cushion the most vulnerable but able-bodied citizens living in informal settlements from effects of the COVID-19 pandemic  Enlisted workers earn a daily wage of Kshs. 400 per day and payments are made once a week through mobile money transfer.

Private school teachers and teachers enrolled in the Board of Management (BOM) programs were the most affected by CS Magoha's directive as government affirmed that public school teachers would receive their monthly salaries during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The youth program is now offering a chance to some of the affected teachers to earn a living as others resort to various menial jobs such as construction. 

Education CS George Magoha addresses the media outside KNEC headquarters, Nairobi in November 2019
Education CS George Magoha addresses the media outside KNEC headquarters, Nairobi in November 2019
File

"I was teaching at a government school but as a board teacher and since the Coronavirus pandemic broke out, we were paid for two months only. Life turned upside down and when I heard about the Kazi Mtaani Initiative, I decided to enrol and try my luck," Lilian Musimbi, a teacher in Bungoma County stated. 

Tobias Muganda urged the government to reach out to private school teachers and cushion them from the pandemic as they were essential service providers too and the government would turn to them once schools resume. 

A number of private schools are facing closure with school owners uncertain of what the future holds after they cited the inability to run schools and pay teachers. 

Mary Tanui, manager at Lessos Education Centre in Nandi County lamented that she feared for the 400 pupils since they were not sure if all teachers would resume work. The proprietor added that the government had neglected them at the hour of need despite making huge contributions to the education sector. 

"We rely on fees paid by parents to pay our staff, who are now jobless," Tanui stated.

A report shared on July 13 detailed that parents whose children were enrolled in private schools across the country may soon be forced to transfer them out of the institutions, which were crumbling. 

A survey carried out by the Standard in Western Kenya produced worrying results, with several private schools confirming that they had not only sent their teachers away on unpaid leave, but also notified parents to consider transferring their children to other schools.

More woes were piled on schools when Education CS Magoha directed primary and secondary school heads to refund fees to parents who had paid the 2020 academic year fees in advance. Private School heads lamented that they were not in a position to issue the refunds. 

Youth partake in a clean-up exercise as part of the Kazi Mtaani program.
Youth partake in a clean-up exercise as part of the Kazi Mtaani program.
KNA