Teachers have been told to stay put from work for the third week on Monday, until the Government tabled funds meant to meet their demands.

Knut national Chairman, Wilson Sossion

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) national chairman Wilson Sossion on Saturday told The Standard On Sunday the move by the Cabinet sub-committee to legalise Notice 534 of 1997 was welcome, but what mattered was for Treasury to table acceptable funds.

A last-minute meeting between Knut, Ministry of Education officials and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) team on Saturday failed to bear any fruits.

Sossion told teachers to remain strong in the strike, noting they will only be advised otherwise after the Treasury allocates funds and outlines how the allowances and basic pay increment will be paid.

“Allowances under Legal Notice 534 are not negotiable. Only the 300 per cent basic pay demand is negotiable, but we still maintain what we are demanding can be sustained by the economy,” added Sossion.

The teachers’ strike, which enters its third week on Monday, has paralysed learning in public schools.

The situation has worsened after university lecturers and doctors joined in, turning it into a labour crisis. Like teachers, the lecturers and the Universities Non-Teaching Staff have also been asked by their union officials to continue with the strike. The unrest by teachers is now threatening KCSE and KCPE examinations, which are to take off in October and November respectfully.

On Friday, a Cabinet sub-committee chaired by Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno agreed to knock off the contentious Legal Notice 16 of 2003 that amended teachers’ allowances as was negotiated under Legal Notice 534 of 1997.

By Stephen Makabila, The Standard