Ruto to meet teachers’ unions, associations in consultative forum

President William Ruto has convened a meeting with representatives of teachers’ unions and associations this Friday in what is expected to be a major consultative forum on education matters and welfare issues.

Invited to the September 12 meeting at State House are the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), the Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (KEPSHA), and the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA).

While the official agenda has not been released, sources indicate that the Head of State may discuss Competency-Based Education (CBE) implementation, teacher welfare, and broader education reforms.

For teachers’ unions and associations, the meeting provides an opportunity to raise concerns on issues such as promotions, professional development, and staffing shortages.

“We have some important issues that we intend to raise during the meeting,” said one union official who requested anonymity.

Internal memos reveal the level of mobilisation within the education sector ahead of the engagement.

KEPSHA’s national chairman, in a circular dated September 7, 2025, confirmed the invitation and directed the association’s leadership structures to prepare.

“I wish to inform you that His Excellency the President has extended a formal invitation to the leadership of KEPSHA from the grassroots to the national level for a meeting at State House on Friday, 12th September 2025,” the memo reads in part.

The KEPSHA delegation will include the National Executive Board, the National Governing Council, four representatives per sub-county, chairperson, secretary, treasurer, and gender representative, alongside members of the National Secretariat. County chairpersons were instructed to submit delegate details by September 8 to facilitate logistics.

KUPPET has also revised its delegation following new directions. In a communication signed by Secretary-General Akelo Misori, the union informed branches that its team would be trimmed to 625 members, down from earlier projections.

“The net effect of this change is that the KUPPET team will come down to 625, while other partners that were previously under-represented will see their delegation size increase,” Misori stated.

Branches are now required to send 13 delegates each, including three women nominees, to boost gender representation.

KNUT issued a similar notice to its members.

“Notice is hereby given of all elected KNUT leaders’ visit to State House, Nairobi, on the invitation of His Excellency, the President of Kenya and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. Prepare your teams, which will include all BEC members and a selected number of school representatives,” the notice signed by Secretary-General Collins Oyuu reads.

This is the first time State House has convened such a broad cross-section of teacher leadership, though President Ruto has previously held separate meetings with national union officials.

The meeting highlights the administration’s engagement with the education sector, with union leaders expected to raise matters including terms of service, deployment policies, and funding for schools.