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KUPPET threatens nationwide strike over flawed teacher promotion list

KUPPET members, led by Secretary-General Akelo Misori and chairman Omboko Milemba, during a past press conference. (Photo: File)

By Lucy Mumbi | 04 Apr 2024

The union has now demanded accountability and transparency from the TSC, failure to which they will initiate a nationwide strike.

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has threatened to call for a nationwide strike over the teacher promotion list released by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) last month.

KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori said following the auditing of the list, TSC promoted some teachers who were deceased and others retired, while the most deserving teachers were not promoted.

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“Our survey in the analysis proves that the commission promoted several teachers who were not on its roll including those who are dead or who had resigned from the service,” he said on Wednesday at the union headquarters.

He also criticised including non-teaching staff in the promotion list, saying they would benefit at the expense of deserving tutors.

“The commission deceptively included dozens of curriculum support officers and other secretariat staff who are not part of the promotional budget at the expense of the serving teachers,” he said.

The union has now demanded accountability and transparency from the TSC, failure to which they will initiate a nationwide strike.

“The union is demanding the immediate promotion of 1000 teachers who have missed promotions for 15 years. The TSC must take the blame for bungling the chance to promote these long-suffering teachers as part of the unprecedented 51,000 vacancies it declared,” Misori said.

He emphasised the need for accountability and challenged the commission to provide information on the number of promotions per grade and region.

Misori stated that many teachers stuck in one job group for many years have become demotivated, and the TSC must address this issue.

While echoing Misori's sentiments, KUPPET Chairman Omboko Milemba expressed his dismay over the promotion criteria within the teaching profession, pointing out the discrepancies between the advancement of long-serving educators and newer hires.

“It beats logic that a 57-year-old teacher, has stagnated all along and is set for retirement in three years and somebody who was employed two years ago appears on the promotion list. Among these are 1,000 senior teachers who have not earned promotion for 15 years,” he said.

Milemba urged the government to step in and address the issue by allocating additional funds to support the promotion of deserving teachers.

"The government should in the supplementary budget provide for at least Sh5 billion to promote the remaining 150,000 teachers," he said.

Additionally, Milemba demanded a thorough review of the policies governing career progression within the TSC, arguing that the current guidelines contribute to the stagnation experienced by many teachers.

He emphasised the need to overhaul these guidelines to ensure fair and equitable opportunities for career advancement within the teaching profession.