Treasury bows to pressure, releases Sh29.7 billion for schools ahead of next week's teachers strike

The National Treasury has responded to mounting pressure by releasing Sh29.7 billion to the education sector, ahead of the third-term reopening of schools next week on August 26, 2024.

Despite this substantial financial boost, the sector remains troubled by ongoing strike threats from teachers and lecturers.

The funds, part of a larger Sh40 billion allocation across various ministries, include Sh1.6 billion for free primary education, Sh14.1 billion for free day secondary education, and Sh6.1 billion for junior secondary schools.

Additionally, Sh5.1 billion has been allocated to the State Department for Higher Education to support the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), and Sh2.8 billion has been designated for universities through the Universities Fund Board.

The financial intervention comes at a time of heightened tension, with teachers and lecturers threatening industrial action over unresolved issues related to inadequate funding and other grievances.

In higher education, lecturers have issued a 7-day strike notice due to salary delays and pay cuts, while some first-year university students have faced financial difficulties, including being sent home for unpaid tuition fees.

President William Ruto had previously urged the Treasury to facilitate dialogue with teachers and lecturers to prevent disruptions.

“Treasury, TSC, and the teaching fraternity should sit together and look at the possibility of ensuring that we implement our commitment as a government and thus avoid unnecessary industrial action and interruption in our learning institutions,” he said.

Deadlock

However, despite the efforts, negotiations ended in a deadlock, with teachers expressing dissatisfaction over issues such as delayed promotions and unsatisfactory contract terms for junior secondary school teachers.

On Wednesday, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teachers' unions struggled to reach an agreement, to avert the looming strike but ended in disarray, increasing the likelihood of strikes by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) as early as next week.

Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia. (Photo: TSC)

While TSC has urged teachers to report to school next week, the teachers have maintained that they will not go back until all of their issues are addressed. The unions rejected their employer’s offer to only implement Phase II of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) adding that the other issues must also be addressed.

“Given the foregoing, the strike notices issued by Kuppet and Knut remain in force. The unions will mobilise their members, parents and like-minded Kenyans to join the fight for teachers' labour rights and the rights of Kenyan children to quality education. We assure all stakeholders including parents and members of the school communities that the strike starting on August 26 is protected under the law. From midnight of Sunday, August 25 when the notices expire, all teachers should withdraw their labour until their grievances are fully addressed,” reads a joint unions' statement by Knut boss, Collins Oyuu.

The Treasury’s allocation represents 74.25 per cent of the total Sh40 billion released, reflecting the government's commitment to the education sector.

However, the unresolved issues and ongoing disputes mean that the sector remains vulnerable to potential disruptions. This is even as the third-term is marred by National examinations such as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA).

This year, Knec will be administering national examinations and assessments to a total of 2,279,397 candidates, countrywide.

All KCSE 2024 examinations are scheduled for November. The rehearsal day for candidates is set for Friday, October 18, 2024. Official examinations will commence on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 and continue until Friday, November 22, 2024.