High School Teachers Barred From KNUT In Secret Deal With TSC

TSC CEO Nancy Macharia addressing teachers at Safari Park Hotel on Tuesday, July 13, 2021
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia addressing teachers at Safari Park Hotel on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.
TSC /Twitter

Details have emerged on how the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) leadership secured a raw deal after talks with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

The new leadership of the giant union, according to Nation, penned a deal with the teachers' employer that cripples its operations and powers.

The Daily Nation report on Thursday, August 26, indicate that in the agreement signed by the two parties mid-July, all secondary school teachers will no longer be members of KNUT, a union that has been critical in fighting for their welfare.

The deal also bars headteachers from both primary and secondary schools from joining the union in whatever capacity.

The union, which is now headed by Secretary General Collins Oyuu, also committed to reducing its branches from 110 countrywide to just 47.

KNUT Sec-Gen Collins Oyuu
KNUT Sec-Gen Collins Oyuu addressing members of the press in July 2021.
Daily Nation

"Parties mutually agree that a headteacher and/or a teacher acting in the position of a headteacher shall not be a member of the union," reads part of the deal as quoted by the publication.

"Member refers to a primary school teacher who does not fall under the defined constituency of any other union and have successfully subscribed to the union."

The union, however, signed an agreement allowing its members to be promoted on the basis of Career Progression Guidelines (CPGs).

The stalemate between KNUT and TSC stemmed from the the latter's refusal to observe CPGs as a form of promotion but maintained the schemes of work as the determining factor.

Members later began matching out of the union in droves, shrinking its membership from a high of 187,000 to just 15,000.

This, in turn, reduced its revenue from Ksh144 million to Ksh11 million.

In the agreement signed between the two entities on July 13, Secretary General Collins Oyuu noted that they had settled on a non-monetary agreement with basic pay review expected in a year's time.

Maternity extension was among the gains touted in the new deal.

"Indeed, today is a historic day for all teachers in this republic. We have come out of this day having signed a CBA with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC)," stated Oyuu at the time. 

"I would like to tell our teachers that hope is still there. We have room to sit with TSC in a review process. Apart from the monetary gains that are not perceived to be there, we have quantified quite a number of gains with TSC in the said CBA."

"It is known to them as it is known to us that we must review this basic factor on the salary increment," added he Secretary General.

The event, which was held at Safari Park Hotel, included attendees from Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET).

Teachers Service Commission headquarters in Nairobi
Teachers Service Commission headquarters in Nairobi
TSC /Twitter
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