The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) officials in Nandi County have expressed their discontent over the transfer of Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers from their union to the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET). They argue that this move, undertaken by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) without consultation, is an attempt to weaken KNUT. The officials claim that some of the affected teachers are long-serving KNUT members who have contributed significantly to the union's growth.
KNUT Nandi North secretary Josphat Serem stated that the union is protesting the poaching of its members who have diligently served the union since its inception. He questioned why these teachers were being transferred to KUPPET without their consent, emphasizing that union membership should be a matter of individual choice. Serem also highlighted that the affected teachers have played a crucial role in building KNUT into one of the country's largest teachers' unions.
KNUT Nandi South secretary Stephen Misoi echoed similar sentiments, stating that some of the transferred teachers are long-serving KNUT officials who were not consulted before the move. He expressed concern that this transfer could undermine KNUT's membership base and, by extension, its ability to represent its members effectively. Misoi emphasized that KNUT has been instrumental in fighting for teachers' rights and securing various benefits, and that weakening its membership would have wider implications.
According to Misoi, approximately 10,000 teachers have been transferred from KNUT to KUPPET nationally, raising concerns about the impact on the union. He stressed that the strength of any union lies in its members and that KNUT officials are aggrieved by the transfers. Misoi also highlighted KNUT's role in establishing itself as a strong voice for teachers and its achievements in securing benefits for its members.
Boniface Tenai, KNUT secretary for Tindiret and Nandi East, argued that the affected teachers should not have been removed from KNUT simply because they were deployed to JSS. He called on the Ministry of Education to intervene and prevail upon TSC to stop what he described as meddling in the affairs of teachers' unions. Tenai emphasized that KNUT officials would continue to pursue the matter until a solution is found and that the union is prepared to take necessary action to protect its membership.
The dispute arises amid ongoing debate over the appropriate union representation for teachers serving in JSS, following the transition of the section from the former primary school structure. KNUT officials are awaiting communication from the KNUT national office on the next course of action as the union seeks to address the movement of its members to KUPPET. The officials remain firm in their resolve to protect the union's membership and interests.
The transfers have sparked a heated debate over union representation for JSS teachers, with KNUT officials accusing TSC of interfering with their membership. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the dispute will be resolved and what implications it will have for the teachers' unions and their members. The Ministry of Education's intervention and the KNUT national office's response will likely play a crucial role in determining the outcome.
Key points
- KNUT officials protest the transfer of JSS teachers to KUPPET, citing an attempt to weaken the union.
- Approximately 10,000 teachers have been transferred from KNUT to KUPPET nationally.
- The dispute arises amid ongoing debate over union representation for JSS teachers.
