Teachers’ Strike Forces Schools to Send Students Home Amid Ongoing Dispute
As the teachers’ strike enters its second week on Monday, several secondary school heads have opted to send their students home. According to a spot check by Kenyan media, schools in Machakos, Nakuru, Meru, and Kirinyaga Counties have dismissed students amid the ongoing strike.
Sosten Bellat, Chairperson of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) branch, has urged parents to withdraw their children from school as teachers continue their strike until their demands are met. Bellat made this statement during a media briefing in Uasin Gishu County.
Bellat claimed that the strike has led to an increase in indiscipline among students, who are left unsupervised due to the absence of teachers. She also accused the administration of deliberately avoiding negotiations with teachers.
Students were seen waiting at bus stops in Meru as they headed home. Parents have criticized the administration for its delay in addressing the issue, particularly as students prepare for national examinations. Jomo Kenyatta Boys High School in Nakuru has been closed indefinitely due to mounting student unrest, according to Principal Philip Waweru. Similarly, Machakos School dismissed students early following disturbances on Sunday. An anonymous school official reported that while the students were disruptive, they did not cause any damage to property.
For the second consecutive week, secondary school teachers have been protesting, claiming that the government has failed to meet the terms of the second phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
In Kirinyaga, teachers led by KUPPET Executive Secretary Njogu Mbui took to the streets of Kutus Town, pledging to continue their protest without pay until their grievances are addressed. They accuse the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of failing to release Ksh. 13.3 billion required for implementing the second phase of the CBA. The union’s call for parents to care for their children has led to significant disruptions in secondary school education.