Magoha's Message to Teachers Ahead of Strike Planned During KCPE/KCSE

former Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha during a past meeting in Parliament.
Former Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha during a past meeting in Parliament.
File

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has sent a message to teachers ahead of their planned nationwide strike that is set to start during the national examinations period.

Speaking during the commissioning of a new classroom at Poiywek Secondary School in Kericho County on Thursday, February 24, the education CS publicly pleaded with teachers in a move to avert the impending mass action.

Magoha passionately requested the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET)  to reconsider the planned strike to allow both Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations to go on interrupted.

KCPE exams are set to begin from March 7 to 10 while KCSE is scheduled to start from March 11.

Education CS George Magoha commission CBC classroom in kericho county on Thursday February 24, 2022
Education CS George Magoha commission CBC classroom in Kericho county on Thursday, February 24, 2022
EduMin

Instead, he asked the union to withdraw the strike notice and stage it after the national exams are done. Justifying his position, the CS explained that if they down their tools, they will ruin the students' education and even disrupt the entire academic calendar.

"In terms of exams, I think we are ready to go and I would like to thank our teachers. Also, I would publicly request KUPPET to withdraw their strike notice," Magoha stated.

He added, " Our children are not like chase pieces to be played with. It is their democratic right to issue a statement of strike but the children belong to everybody including themselves. So I want to plead with them to suspend that strike and if possible to issue it after exams are concluded, it will be fair game for the children."

Magoha also sent a message to parents assuring them that the planned national exams will go on despite a looming crisis.

"The exams will go on as anticipated," the CS stated while appreciating teachers for their efforts in making the students ready.

KUPPET on Thursday February 23 led by Secretary-General Akello Misori issued a seven-day strike notice faulting the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for failing to reopen talks on their 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Misori defended their move to down tools noting that they had written to TSC on January 17 demanding the re-opening of the CBA within 21 days.

“Upon the expiry of the 21 days, the union said it would review the commission’s response before convening its organs to give further directions on the next course of action,” the union stated.

“All the commission has done is to acknowledge our letter and promise to respond at a later stage after ‘interrogating’ the contents," the union added.

According to the CBA, teachers are demanding 30 per cent to 70 per cent raise among other benefits.

The talks collapsed after The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) signed a non-monetary CBA with TSC when Secretary General Collins Oyuu assumed office, after Wilson Sossion was pushed out.

File photo of teachers during a past mass protest
File photo of teachers during a past mass protest
File