The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has announced plans to initiate industrial action when schools reopen on January 2, 2019, following unmet demands related to labor conditions. KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion stated that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) had failed to address key concerns, including teacher transfers, statutory deductions, and promotion processes.
Sossion highlighted that 3,094 teacher transfers remained unapproved by the Appointing Board, calling the process irregular and demanding their immediate reversal. He argued that these transfers disrupted educational services and family stability through what he termed a "punitive delocalisation policy." The union cited instances of families being separated due to previous transfers and vowed to prevent similar outcomes.
The union also criticized the TSC for withdrawing merit-based promotion rights and introducing performance appraisal policies without consultation. Sossion emphasized that teachers would boycott all appraisal-related activities, citing violations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Additionally, KNUT contested 1.5% housing scheme deductions and 7.5% pension contributions, arguing they required CBA revisions to offset lost earnings.
Teachers demanded the reinstatement of all promotions tied to qualifications, service length, and performance by January 2, 2019. Sossion noted that President Uhuru Kenyatta had previously halted transfers but urged the TSC to comply with directives. The union also called for the employer to cover professional development costs, stating that financing such programs through teacher salaries violated labor laws.
