Wilson Sossion, a tough talking unionist’s move yesterday must have worried the government. On Wednesday, teachers’ union through their secretary general Sossion warned of a looming strike, telling parents that Christmas for their children might extend to January.
This has forced Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani to appoint a concilliator to mediate the dispute between the Teachers Service Commission and the Kenya National Union of Teachers, but will the mediation go through?
Mr Yatani appointed Labour relations officer Charles Maranga on Thursday, a day after Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion declared that teachers will go on strike on January 2.
The row between the TSC and Knut is with regard to promotions, transfers and performance appraisals.
While issuing the strike notice on Wednesday, Mr Sossion accused the TSC of “de-professionalising the teaching profession” and failing to promote teachers based on merit, qualifications, long service and exceptional performance.
The Knut boss further said they were angered by commission Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia’s decision to transfer more than 3,000 head-teachers “irregularly”.
Despite the row, Ms Macharia announced earlier on Thursday that the TSC was recruiting 1,197 teachers to replace those who have exited the service through natural attrition in the last three months.
Some 893 vacancies are in primary schools and 304 in secondary schools, she said.
The TSC has also announced nationwide teacher transfers, a circumstance that has caused anxiety among primary and secondary school heads.
The CEO said the transfers had been effected following the retirement of head teachers and principals who attained the mandatory age in the last three months.
This led to vacancies.
However, the commission’s county officials said they were yet to receive transfer letters from the headquarters.