Teachers in Igembe North have called for improved working conditions, better remuneration and greater attention to their welfare, even as area MP Julius Taitumu highlighted investments and reforms he said had improved education in the constituency.
The teachers made the appeal during an engagement with Taitumu at Ntunene Girls Secondary School on Friday, where members of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), ECDE teachers and retired educators discussed challenges affecting the teaching profession and progress recorded in education.
KUPPET representative Njira Moris urged the MP to champion teachers’ concerns in Parliament, particularly the need to give Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) greater autonomy and establish clear leadership and administrative structures.
Moris said the proposed Junior Education School Bill should recognise the distinct needs of JSS and provide an appropriate framework for their management. He also called for improved remuneration and the fast-tracking of Collective Bargaining Agreements to ensure teachers’ salaries keep pace with their growing responsibilities.
KNUT Women Representative Mercy Kiambati urged headteachers to create conducive working environments, saying teachers were human capital requiring support and understanding.
She encouraged teachers to support one another in addressing challenges in their workplaces and commended Taitumu for efforts to improve security in the constituency, which she said had enabled educators to conduct their activities with greater confidence.
Kiambati also urged parents to register children living with disabilities so they can benefit from government programmes and opportunities available to persons with disabilities.
Taitumu, a former teacher and KNUT leader, said the meeting was intended to provide an opportunity for teachers and leaders to assess the constituency’s education journey and identify areas requiring further attention.
“We are here to share glory and compare notes on where we were and where we are now,” Taitumu said, stressing that teachers remained central to the transformation of education and the wider community.
He said his experience in the teachers’ union had shaped his decision to enter elective politics, noting that some educators had initially opposed his move from union leadership to Parliament.
Taitumu said he had believed that becoming an MP would provide him with a broader platform to advocate for teachers and improve education in Igembe North.
He said the national government had made progress in teacher employment and promotions, including setting aside Sh1 billion for teacher promotions, with President William Ruto adding another Sh1 billion, bringing the total allocation to Sh2 billion.
According to Taitumu, about 35,000 teachers are expected to be promoted this year, with age and length of service among the factors considered.
He said no teacher should retire without receiving an opportunity for career progression, adding that Igembe North had secured additional promotion slots after concerns were raised over the 2024 promotions.
Taitumu said the constituency had also benefited from efforts to address teacher shortages through recruitment and the conversion of intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms.
He said 20,000 intern teachers had been converted, while another 3,000 were expected to be converted next year, describing the measures as important in strengthening the teaching workforce.
The MP further said the national government had employed about 100,000 teachers since taking office, which he described as an unprecedented achievement compared with previous administrations.
On teacher deployment, Taitumu dismissed claims that educators were being transferred because of political differences with him, saying transfers should not be used to settle political disagreements.
“No teacher is being transferred because of any political difference,” he said, warning leaders against abusing their powers.
Taitumu said his primary objective after becoming MP was to transform education in Igembe North by ensuring schools had adequate teachers and improving learning outcomes.
He also attributed progress in the constituency to bursary support, improved security and investment in learning institutions, saying his office did not discriminate against beneficiaries on the basis of political affiliation.
Teachers at the meeting cited developments at Kaelo Technical College as evidence of increased investment in education.
Maore Ngore, a teacher at the institution, said the college had grown from fewer than 100 learners before Taitumu became MP to about 1,200 students.
He attributed the growth partly to efforts to market the institution and support students through bursaries.
Ngore said the number of staff had increased from about 10 to 60 and that the college now had a fully functional computer laboratory.
Michubu Patrick, a teacher at Nkamathi Senior School and one of the educators who returned from abroad, said Taitumu had played a role in facilitating the return of teachers who had been working away from home.
He said teachers had previously experienced difficulties transporting learners to educational activities, but the situation had improved following the provision of buses through initiatives associated with the MP.
The teachers also welcomed improvements in security, saying a safer environment had made it easier for them to carry out their professional duties and participate in school activities.
Taitumu urged teachers to continue working closely with parents and communities, describing educators as among the most important drivers of social and economic transformation.
He said teachers often remained the most concerned about learners’ welfare, particularly where parents might fail to provide adequate support.
Central Regional Commissioner Stanley Kaura Ntoitha Ndoleli defended the working environment in the area, saying teachers had not been coerced into transfers and that conditions were generally favourable.
Ndoleli said the focus should now shift towards increasing the number of learners from Igembe North who transition to universities.
The meeting brought together educators from different levels of the education system and provided a platform for discussion on staffing, career progression, school management, welfare and institutional development.
The teachers’ concerns come as the education sector continues to grapple with the demands of implementing reforms, including the transition to Junior Secondary Schools and the need to ensure adequate staffing and resources.
The meeting ended with calls for continued dialogue between teachers and political leaders, with participants agreeing that better working conditions, adequate staffing, career progression, improved school management and sustained investment in learning institutions were essential to raising education outcomes in Igembe North.
By Kamanja Maeria
