The union of Junior secondary school teachers in Busia County through their union and that of Kenya Union of post-primary (KUPPET) has called on the government to employ them on permanent terms or else they will not resume teaching in January next year.
According to their union chairperson Busia County Mr Captain Obilo, the government promised to confirm them after one year of service but that is not the case, adding that the government is quiet and instead telling them to prepare to renew their contracts.
“The government should stick to its agreement. When we were being employed as interns the government promised us that we would serve as interns for one year and then be confirmed as permanent and pensionable, but it is unfortunate to learn that the government is telling us to prepare to renew our contract, which was not in the later we signed when we were being employed. No confirmation, no teaching” said Mr Obilo
Accompanied by the KUPPET leadership in Busia county including KUPPET secretary general Busia branch Mr Moffat Okisai, they noted that despite junior secondary school teachers teaching many subjects contrary to their agreement the government is not paying JSS teachers what they deserve.
“We are requesting the teacher’s service commission to employ or confirm the JSS teachers under permanent and pension terms and pay them well. The salary of 17,000 in the current economy compared to their work is an insult to them,” he said
The union wanted the government to reverse its move to let the junior secondary schools from being domiciled in primary schools and move to secondary schools.
“The issue of where Junior secondary schools need to have been domiciled was tantamount to a referendum. We are saying that it is not yet late for that decision to be rescinded and reversed so that junior secondary schools can be moved to secondary schools,” said Mr Okisai
He added, “We expected these learners to transit from grade six to junior secondary in secondary schools and not to transit from grade 7, grade 8, and grade 9 in the same learning environment.”
Okisai faulted the move by the government to allocate 3.9 billion shillings to construct 15,021 classrooms in primary to accommodate the learners in grades 7,8 and 9 terming the move as a misplaced priority adding that more than 10,000 classrooms in secondary schools commissioned by the former Cabinet secretary of education the late George Magoha still are un-occupied.
“The allocation of 3.9 billion shillings for the construction of 15,021 classrooms in primary schools is a misplacement priority. We are requesting the government to use the said money, be set aside for the employment of more teachers and confirmation of those already in service under permanent and pension terms” he said
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