Crisis looms as Bomet JSS teachers down tools

More than 200 Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) teachers in Bomet county have downed their tools.

The teachers who held peaceful demonstrations in Bomet town on Monday said their move has been necessitated by government's failure to address their grievances.

The teachers together with KUPPET officials vowed not to resume work until their demands are fully met.

They want the government to confirm them on Permanent and Pensionable (PnP) terms and protested the Sh17,000 salary they have been getting.

KUPPET Vice Chairman Peter Bett called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to move with speed and address the issue, failure to which the teachers will not render their services.

“The internship and contract was termed illegal by the court and the ruling must be respected by the teachers’ employer and the government,” Bett said.

Bett also wants TSC to compensate the teachers for the services they offered since February last year to date.

“A qualified teacher should not teach under contract terms as the Constitution mandates TSC to employ teachers on permanent and pensionable terms,” Bett said.

KUPPET Treasurer Joseph Bett called on the parents to take care of their children reaffirming that the aggrieved teachers will not attend lessons until their demands are met.

JSS spokesman Kiprotich Mungen said they are ready to be sacked for fighting for their rights in the employment of the teachers.

“We will seek justice in the Labour Court because we cannot continue to teach in an unfavorable environment,” he said.

Mungen also revealed that they will hold protests every Monday until the government gives in to the pressure and heeds their demands.

“But other days, kindly stay away from the schools, go to your farms and work there until the time the TSC wakes up from slumber,” Mungen noted.

Daisy Mutai, a JSS teacher hit at the Ministry of Education TSC for failing to address the predicament facing them.

“We need issues to be sorted as soon as possible so that the learning can continue but as of now no work,” she said.

Mutai said the government had earlier agreed to have the teachers employed on PnP terms, and termed it unfortunate that the promise is yet to be fulfilled.

The TSC hired 46,000 intern teachers to bridge the gap in its bid to address the challenge of the teachers’ shortage.

Of these 21,500 were moved to teach at JSS.