This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the world, private school teachers in Kenya are facing an unprecedented crisis. Since the abrupt closure of schools in early March, these teachers have been going without salaries, leaving them to struggle with their daily lives.
Many of these teachers were already living in rented houses and had bills to settle, making it difficult for them to cope with the sudden loss of income. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that some schools, despite having flowing bank accounts, are taking advantage of the pandemic to deny teachers their salaries.
Private school proprietors have been criticized for their treatment of teachers during this crisis. Some have been accused of being insensitive and cruel, with some even conducting paid Zoom meetings to discuss school re-opening scenarios while their teachers are struggling to make ends meet.
The Kenya Private Schools Association has been criticized for its failure to represent the interests of private school teachers during the pandemic. The association was part of the National Education COVID-19 Committee that advised the president on school re-opening, but it failed to use this opportunity to advocate for the rights of teachers.
Private school teachers are calling for the formation of a union to negotiate better working conditions and salaries. They argue that the current situation is unfair and that they should not be treated differently from their counterparts employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has emphasized that all Kenyan learners belong to the same government, whether they study in private or public schools. However, the treatment of private school teachers during the pandemic raises questions about the existence of two sets of rules for the country.
