A section of Kenyan teachers are unhappy with their former Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary general Mr Wilson Sossion after his recent comment in a TV debate.
During a debate at NTV Mr Sossion said Kenyan teachers are among the best paid in Africa and only comparable with countries like South Africa.
“In fact compared to in terms of earnings Kenyan teachers compared to their peers in Africa I think they are doing fairly well, maybe they are only comparable to South Africa,” said Sossion.
He said almost every teacher can drive a car unlike in the past where teachers were languishing in abject poverty.
“Sometimes back before 2012 you would find very few teachers driving and owning cars but now almost every teacher can afford to buy a car,” said Sossion.
Sossion says he is happy to have led the struggles for enhancing teachers pay that made him sign a sh. 54 billion Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Teachers Service Commission (TSC) during his tenure at Knut.
However his remarks did not augur well with some teachers who blamed Sossion for the woes teachers are undergoing.
Below are a few comments by some teachers who are unhappy with Sossions remarks.
Kevin Manyola
“You signed a CBA that has left us stagnate in our current job groups. Iam in C2 and there is no hope for moving forward because of your signature”
Agnetta Nyawira
“If you only accepted the 50-60% salary proposal by TSC we would be the best paid teachers right now. Instead you rejected it and demanded the unrealistic 300% payrise. Bure kabisa”
Tom Ochola
“My neighbour is suffering to date because of you. He was fired by TSC for disrupting CBC teacher training and has not been reinstated. Sad”
James Manela
“I joined Mount Kenya University with the hope of getting a promotion kumbe you signed a CBA that stopped automatic promotion and introduced CPG which is only causing us pain”
Isaac Hubert
“Maybe your foul mouth is what made you miss CS Education position and you were also left out in CBC taskforce. I dont even see you getting the PS and CAS positions kujipendekeza haitasaidia”
Jane Karani
“Ni pesa gani hiyo unaongelelea when teachers are committing suic!de because of poor pay leading to financial stresses”
However some teachers supported him saying indeed the lives of teachers have improved due to salary changes which makes it possible to live a decent life.