Parents across Kenya are urging teachers to reconsider their planned strike just days before schools reopen for the crucial third term, a period when candidates prepare for their final exams.
The National Parents Association, led by chairperson Silas Obuhatsa, expressed concern on Friday that the strike would severely disrupt learning, especially given the challenges students have already faced, including recent floods and youth demonstrations.
Obuhatsa appealed to teacher unions, emphasizing that many educators are also parents who should understand the adverse impact of the strike on students.
"We are asking the teacher unions to recognize that our children have endured enough. The teachers should return to class, and the TSC must ensure this happens as the teachers have been compensated, and we cannot tolerate students being left unattended," Obuhatsa said.
Despite negotiations between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teacher unions, including the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), discussions ended in deadlock.
The unions, represented by KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori and KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu, expressed frustration, stating that the TSC failed to address their key demands.
"The Commissioners brought nothing tangible to the table concerning five out of six of our irreducible demands," they stated.
The TSC, however, insisted that progress had been made, particularly in implementing the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The commission called for patience from the educators, highlighting the government's efforts to secure funding despite economic challenges.
This week, the National Treasury allocated nearly Sh30 billion to the Ministry of Education, with significant portions designated for free primary and secondary education and junior secondary education.
The funding aims to support the smooth operation of schools during the upcoming term, further intensifying pressure on both the unions and the TSC to resolve their differences and avoid disrupting the academic calendar.
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