The new Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Migosi Ogamba, has been sworn in today to officially take the office mantle from his predecessor Ezekiel Machogu.
Ogamba together with Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will initiate fresh negotiations with teachers who have threatened to down tools when schools reopen in third term.
A meeting between TSC and teachers unions Knut and Kuppet flopped yesterday after they failed to reach an agreement.
Both Knut and Kuppet have insisted that sh 13.5 billion must be provided for implementation of the 2021 – 2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The two teachers unions have issued a seven day strike notice to TSC. The strike will start on 26th August when schools will be reopening for term three.
TSC already paid the first phase (2023 – 2024) of the CBA that started in July last year. Teachers were expecting TSC to effect the second phase (2024 – 2025) of the CBA this July but that did not happen as the Commission said it lacked funds.
During vetting Ogamba sad that he will convince teachers to defer implementation of the second phase of their 2021- 2025 CBA with TSC.
Ogamba said the amount of resources available to the government has reduced following the withdrawal of Finance Bill 2024 and the court judgement that declared the Finance Act 2023 unconstitutional.
Appearing before MPs on for vetting, Ogamba said the looming strike by teachers would be based on the implementation of the CBA.
“We should have a clear and forthright discussion with unions and come up with solutions because they also live in this country,” he said.
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,” he said.
“We will agree and come up with a working even if it is to defer some of their demands so that they do not go on strike.”
A House committee had earlier warned that teachers may resort to strikes following the government’s move to reduce the recurrent budget of TSC by Sh10.2 billion.
The Departmental Committee on Education, in its report on the consideration of the Financial Year 2024-25 Supplementary Budget Estimates No. 1 for the Ministry of Education and TSC 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 litigations in courts.
“Industrial unrest is something which this government may not which 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 advised.
He said the government should reinstate the allocation to enable the commission to implement the second phase of the 2021-25 CBA.
