Junior Secondary School (JSS) Intern Teachers in Embu County on Friday held protests demanding confirmation into permanent and pensionable terms with immediate effects as their contracts neared lapse in a month’s time.
Led by Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Embu branch officials, the intern teachers threatened to down their tools as the schools reopen in January for the new calendar years should the government fail to heed to their demand.
“We hereby give a formal notice that if intern teachers are not confirmed by January, KUPPET will mobilize all members to undertake industrial action in solidarity with these teachers,” said the Branch Executive Secretary Jacob Karura.
Karura said it won’t be business as usual going forward if their demand is not addressed, saying they are committed to safeguarding their welfare, professional dignity and working conditions of all teachers.
“We expect urgent engagement and resolution from the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSCC),” he said.
While waving placards and singing solidarity songs, the teachers lamented the harsh conditions they have been working in with meagre earnings not commensurate with their training and workload.
They said they were ready to move to court as well as withdraw their services when schools reopen until their grievances are addressed.
JSS Teacher Kelvin Mutugi said they had demonstrated commitment and professionalism despite receiving insufficient wages that could not sustain a dignified livelihood.
He sensationally claimed young male teachers were not even marrying out of fear of family responsibility given the meagre Sh17, 000 pay they get each month.
He faulted the Government for insinuating that they signed a two-year contract, dismissing it as untrue and an attempt to shortchange them.
“We are learned people and we know that the contract we signed was for one year and we will not agree to extend it even for a single day,” he said.
Another JSS teacher Kinyua Njeru said they won’t settle for anything short of conversion of employment terms into permanent and pensionable.
By Samuel Waititu
