Teacher Strikes Paralyse Second Term School Reopening

Teacher Strikes Paralyse Second Term School Reopening

The reopening of schools for the second term has been thrown into uncertainty across several parts of Kenya, as teachers stage coordinated industrial action over long-standing grievances with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the national government.

Protests have been reported in multiple counties, including Busia County, Nyandarua County, and Kisii County, where educators have downed tools, effectively paralysing learning in affected schools. At the heart of the unrest are concerns over low pay, job insecurity for intern teachers, and operational challenges surrounding the Social Health Authority system.

In Busia, teachers have taken a firm stance, warning that normal school operations will not resume until their demands are addressed. Charles Mukhwana, a senior official of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers, outlined a series of issues that require urgent government intervention.

“We are calling on the government to confirm intern teachers, pay KNEC examiners, and resolve the persistent challenges with the SHA system,” Mukhwana stated, adding that teachers would remain steadfast until tangible action is taken.

Meanwhile, in Nyandarua, tensions escalated as Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers staged demonstrations in Ol Kalou, demanding permanent and pensionable employment. The protests follow a court ruling that declared the prolonged internship model unconstitutional, further intensifying pressure on the TSC to regularise the teachers’ status.

Many of the protesting educators, most of whom are university graduates, expressed frustration over earning approximately Ksh17,000 per month, a figure they argue is unsustainable amid rising living costs. “We are qualified teachers, yet we are treated as temporary labour. This must change,” one protester said during the demonstrations.

In Kisii County, members of KUPPET also took to the streets, calling for a comprehensive review of the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). According to union officials, the current agreement disproportionately benefits school administrators at the expense of classroom teachers.

The Kisii protests further highlighted systemic challenges within the education sector, including acute teacher shortages driven by the 100 per cent transition policy and the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Educators reported being overwhelmed, with some handling classes of up to 70 students while teaching as many as 30 lessons per week.

“Teachers are not beggars. We are professionals demanding dignity. If the employer cannot listen, we will make them listen through action,” said Abel Kinyanchui, issuing a strong warning to authorities.

The union in Kisii has since issued a 14-day ultimatum, threatening a full-scale boycott of teaching duties if their demands are not met. Key among these demands are the immediate employment of intern teachers, timely promotions, payment of hardship allowances, and the establishment of a reliable medical cover system to replace the current framework under the Social Health Authority.

Teachers have also raised concerns over delays in remitting statutory and third-party deductions, which they say have exacerbated their financial challenges and undermined their welfare.

The unfolding industrial action poses a significant challenge to the education calendar, with thousands of learners already affected by the disruptions. Stakeholders warn that prolonged strikes could derail academic progress, particularly at a time when the system is still adjusting to curriculum reforms.

As pressure mounts, attention now turns to the TSC and the Ministry of Education to respond to the teachers’ demands and restore normalcy in schools. However, with unions maintaining a hardline stance, the standoff threatens to deepen unless swift and decisive action is taken.

For now, uncertainty looms over the second term, as classrooms remain empty and negotiations hang in the balance.

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Teacher Strikes Paralyse Second Term School Reopening