Ogamba vows to end teachers’ strike with CBA deferment proposal
By Lucy Mumbi |
He noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic teacher unions and TSC agreed to sign a non-monetary CBA.
Education Cabinet Secretary nominee Julius Migosi Ogamba has vowed to end the teachers' strike if he is appointed to the ministry.
Appearing before the Committee on Appointments on Thursday, he said he hopes that teachers will agree to defer the implementation of the second phase of their 2022–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
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According to Ogamba, the amount of resources available to the government has reduced following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024, and the court judgement that declared the Finance Act, 2023, unconstitutional.
He noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, teacher unions and TSC agreed to sign a non-monetary CBA.
“It was not possible to sign a monetary CBA at the time. It gives me hope that these are Kenyans and they see the situation on the ground. We will agree and come up with a working solution, even if it is to defer some of their demands so that they do not go on strike," he said.
He insisted that the looming strike by teachers would otherwise be based on the implementation of the CBA and discussions with their unions.
"It is imperative that we arrest the teachers' strike threat by ensuring that we have clear and forthright discussions with the teachers' unions so that we come up with a solution, even if it is to defer some of their needs so that they do not go on strike," he said.
The Departmental Committee on Education had warned that teachers may resort to strikes following the government’s move to reduce the recurrent budget of TSC by Sh10.2 billion.
In its report on the consideration of the Financial Year 2024-25 Supplementary Budget Estimates No. 1 for the Ministry of Education and TSC, the Committee noted that of the total amount reduced, Sh10 billion was for the implementation of CBA between the commission and teachers unions.
“The implication of this is that teachers will not receive salary increments envisaged in the CBA,” committee chair Julius Melly said in the report.
Melly added that the reduction may lead to industrial unrest and disruption of teaching and learning in public schools, as well as litigation in courts.
“Industrial unrest is something that this government may not wish to deal with at this time given the current unease situation in the country, hence the need to ensure that this allocation is provided,” the committee said.
He said the government should reinstate the allocation to enable the commission to implement the second phase of the 2022–2025 CBA.
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