• Union said it wanted CBC training, now it is trying to block it
• Union wanted TSC out of Education ministry, now it wants it back
Yesterday Knut Secretary General vowed to block implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (see P6).
The primary purpose of a union is to practice collective bargaining to promote the economic interests of its members. However, Knut now seems to be practicing politics.
Earlier this year Knut complained that its teachers could not start teaching the CBC because they had not been trained. Now the government has started training the teachers but Knut is telling them to boycott the training sessions.
In Bomas, Knut campaigned for the Teachers Service Commission to be an independent body. Yesterday it demanded that it revert to being a department in the Education ministry.
The union is complaining that CBC will hurt the poor but they too need modern creative education.
There is a suspicion that the real reason that Knut is against the CBC is that Classes 7 and 8 will become part of junior high school. Those teachers may then join Kuppet, the union for post-primary teachers. Is the issue the CBC or is it the future of Knut?
Whatever the reason, Knut should stop playing politics.
Quote of the day: In society, liberty for one may mean the suppression of liberty for others.
Gunnar Myrdal
The Swedish economist died on May 17, 1987