720 Sacked JSS Teachers Reinstated by TSC
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has reinstated 720 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers who were dismissed following a three-week strike that significantly disrupted learning across various schools. The strike, involving approximately 46,000 JSS teachers working as interns, aimed to push for their transition to Permanent and Pensionable terms, a request the TSC stated would require more time to fulfill. Initially, the TSC had accused these teachers of deserting their duties, leading to their dismissal.
With strong support from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), the teachers maintained their strike, causing a standstill in school activities. On Friday, KUPPET announced that an agreement had been reached between the teachers and the TSC. KUPPET’s Secretary General, Akelo Misori, stated that the dismissed teachers had been pardoned. All the affected teachers were reinstated into the payroll, and their dismissal letters were revoked. The union negotiated with the TSC to offer the teachers another chance, emphasizing that this was their first offense.
KUPPET objected to the dismissals, arguing that they violated the principles of natural justice, as none of the teachers were given a chance to defend themselves in a disciplinary hearing. The union employed various strategies to challenge the dismissals, including negotiation, political advocacy, and the threat of industrial action.
However, Misori expressed concern over the lack of progress on the core issue: converting the teachers to permanent and pensionable terms, which had been the primary cause of the strike. He urged the government to address this issue urgently to prevent a shortage of teachers in the country. He highlighted KUPPET’s concern regarding the government’s inconsistent commitment to transitioning teachers to permanent terms and the employment of 20,000 new teachers to address the significant deficit in JSS.
Misori noted that the TSC’s decision to reinstate the teachers was influenced by President William Ruto’s personal involvement in the matter. He mentioned that the union, through their National Chairman Omboko Milemba, brought the teachers’ grievances to the government’s attention, prompting the President to take action.
Last month, KUPPET Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima expressed the union’s frustration over the dismissals and cautioned about potential repercussions. He pointed out that the dismissals contradicted the return-to-work agreement that KUPPET had negotiated with the TSC on behalf of the JSS teachers. He criticized the TSC for treating teachers poorly, noting that it was ironic for an organization responsible for upholding the dignity of the teaching profession to treat teachers worse than casual workers.
The reinstatement of the 720 JSS teachers marks a significant development in the ongoing negotiations between KUPPET and the TSC. However, the core issue of transitioning teachers to permanent and pensionable terms remains unresolved, and the union continues to press for urgent action to address this critical concern.
