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The Knut boss said TSC has not been issuing teachers with letters for acting in headship positions.
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He said the letters issued are for assignment of new duties.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Teachers unions lack critical details on their members and are unable to effectively fight for the rights of their members, MPs have said.
The revelation emerged on Tuesday when Kenya National Union of Teachers officials appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Education to explain grievances on tutor employment and promotions.
The committee chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly wanted to know the number of teachers per county who have served for more than six months in an acting capacity without confirmation.
Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu, however, said only the Teachers Service Commission can appropriately give the data for it is the custodian of teachers' records.
"TSC is the sole authority that promotes and upgrades teachers across all levels of Basic Education- hence, TSC is in a vantage position to issue the data and other related information on teacher promotion/upgrading per county," Oyuu said.
However, Melly said it was the duty of the union to ensure teachers are well aware of their rights and how promotions are done so that they are not taken advantage of by their employers.
"What did you do as a union to ensure teachers are well informed of their rights? Because you are their mouthpiece," Melly said.
But Oyuu only said some teachers have raised complaints with the union after acting in headship positions for over six months.
The Knut boss said TSC has not been issuing teachers with letters for acting in headship positions. He said the letters issued were for the assignment of new duties.
"TSC, it appears has been avoiding to hand teachers with letters for appointment in acting positions because the Commission doesn't want to pay Acting allowance," Oyuu said.
Oyuu said the union holds inductions, trainings and Annual General Meetings where the teachers are engaged on their rights.
"It is through these AGMs that we talk to teachers and realise some are being taken advantage of," Oyuu said.
The MPs accused Knut of not taking care of the affairs of their members, despite teachers paying a monthly subscription fee.
Oyuu said Knut is not misplaced in its role adding that teachers are not on their own.
Additionally, the MPs wanted to know the total number of teachers in every cadre that need to be moved to a higher pay grade.
Oyuu again roped in TSC saying it is only the Commission that can comprehensively and satisfactorily give out the data.
However, he said there are some instances where affected teachers raise complaints with the union seeking assistance.
Melly said the union can ask its members directly instead of relying on TSC.
"You can not rely on TSC to give you data which might even be incriminating to them. Be vibrant," Melly said.
The committee's vice-chairman Malulu Injendi (Malava MP) said he has a message sent from Knut to all teachers in the country seeking data on those who ought to be moved to the next pay grade.
"They are telling us they don't have this information yet I am aware they asked schools to provide the information and this information has been provided," Malulu said.
Malulu said Knut is doing a disservice to teachers.
Oyuu acknowledged that indeed the union had reached out to teachers seeking to know those who ought to be moved to the next pay grade.
However, the Knut boss said the data availed to them by teachers also had to be verified by TSC before it was submitted anywhere.
"Our duty is to verify the same with the Commission, for accuracy purposes. We don't deny that we got information from the grassroots. But the information must be candid and verified," Oyuu said.
Oyuu was also asked to provide a list of 1000 teachers who were promoted to acting headship positions in 2017 without the required increase in salary and allowances.
He said Knut has established that the number stands at 1011 and not 1000.
"Knut has established from TSC records that 1,011 teachers in Job Group M (C5) had raised the complaints for having not been promoted to Job Group M/N (D1)," Oyuu said.
The Secretary-General said the complaints came from Senior Graduate Teachers, Senior Approved Teachers and Senior Ordinary Diploma Teachers.
However, after vetting and subsequent interviews, Oyuu said the figure was reduced to 310 who qualified to be promoted to Grade D1 (TSC Scale 11) from Grade C5 (TSC Scale 10)
Oyuu said TSC gives teachers new assignments which they may not even qualify for.
"When an interview comes, the teachers who have been in acting positions do not even qualify for the roles," Oyuu said.
The MPs, unsatisfied with Knut's response, said the Union as well as TSC will be called in at a later date to iron out the discrepancies over teachers' promotions and employment.