This archive report was first published on 3 December 2019.
Published on December 3, 2019, by Faith Nyamai, more by this author here.
Teachers marking this year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams are demanding better pay and working conditions, with the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) joining the chorus.
According to Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori, teachers are receiving very little pay despite spending nights in congested rooms. He gave Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha seven days to improve the conditions, warning that failure to do so would lead to the union asking teachers to withdraw their services.
Misori condemned the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) for threatening to sack examiners who boycotted the exercise in protest for better pay. He urged the council to drop such threats and address the examiners' valid grievances.
The examiners are demanding a standard fee for all papers, with some calling for an increase from Sh46 per script to Sh68. Kuppet wants the pay to be increased to Sh100 per script.
Some examiners have been forced to sleep on the floor due to overcrowding, with Kuppet taking photos of the conditions. Misori noted that exposure to health risks due to overcrowding in toilets and bathrooms is a major concern.
