Teachers affiliated with the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have issued new demands to the government over the unresolved collective bargaining agreement (CBA) despite repeated assurances. Union leaders warned that inaction could lead to industrial action. The statements were made during union elections in Trans Nzoia County.
During union elections in Trans Nzoia County, KUPPET National Vice Chair Julius Korir stated that the CBA issue must be resolved urgently and reduced to two key components, as promised by President William Ruto at a State House meeting in Nairobi last December. Korir accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of slowing progress on the agreement, noting that teachers expected concrete action following the State House engagement.
The union also raised concerns over the transition of teachers to the Social Health Authority (SHA) insurance scheme, stating that the new system has created challenges for educators seeking medical care. KUPPET claimed that some teachers were turned away from health facilities despite having accessed services under the previous medical arrangement. Korir cited an incident in Nairobi where teachers involved in a road accident were denied treatment at hospitals that had previously recognized their former cover.
Teachers demanded clarity on the administration of Junior Secondary School (JSS) education, calling for independence and institutional autonomy in managing the JSS structure. They argued that administrative ambiguity was affecting service delivery and creating operational challenges in educational institutions.
Korir highlighted long-standing issues with promotion structures in the teaching profession, saying many educators have remained in the same job grades for years without career advancement opportunities. The union leadership renewed the call to convert approximately 20,000 teacher interns into permanent and pensionable positions, describing prolonged internships as unfair to young professionals entering the education sector.
"Teachers want the CBA to be reduced to two, as the President assured us during the State House meeting. We also want JSS administration to have independence and autonomy, while addressing the challenges being experienced under the SHA medical scheme, where some teachers are reportedly being turned away from hospitals," Korir said.
"The government must also address promotion stagnation and teacher employment. Many teachers have remained in the same job groups for years, and we are calling for the 20,000 intern teachers to be absorbed into permanent and pensionable employment," he added.
KUPPET cautioned that if the government fails to respond to the teachers' concerns, the union would consider industrial action as a last resort. However, they emphasized that dialogue, to be initiated with their new leadership teams, remains the preferred approach to resolving the ongoing disputes in the education sector.