Knut finally calls off strike as Kaimenyi orders primary schools closed

Teachers on Wednesday ended their 24-day work boycott hours after public primary schools were closed indefinitely.

The teachers will return to class with a Sh16.2 billion deal for their commuter, responsibility and reader allowances, as had earlier been agreed between them and the government.

The payout will be made in two phases — Sh5.7 billion will be released immediately and the rest in the next financial year. This will see the lowest and the highest paid teachers take home Sh4,000 and Sh16,000 every month in commuter allowances.

The agreement also stipulates that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will pay out the teachers’ June salaries on Thursday.

TSC will also withdraw the contempt of court case against Knut officials, whose ruling was to be made on Monday next week.

“We have assessed the government offer over time and we are satisfied that we have put in place proper mechanisms through engagement... With that in mind, the National Executive Council has now authorised the secretary-general to call off the strike,” Kenya National Union of Teachers chairman Wilson Sossion said.

The call came soon after Education Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi declared public primary schools closed indefinitely.

Knut officials were meeting with Deputy President William Ruto at the time Prof Kaimenyi made the declaration.

“The government cannot enter into any negotiations that are not guided by law… that will be cheating you,” Mr Ruto told the teachers, adding: “We want to negotiate in a structured manner so that the agreement is honoured irrespective of who is in office.”

Eight Knut officials, led by Mr Sossion and secretary-general Mudzo Nzili, had paid Mr Ruto a visit at his offices.

“The deal you have been given by the TSC on commuter allowance cannot be added or reduced… we are operating within a very tight budget,” Mr Ruto added.

After the meeting, the unionists proceeded to their offices in Nairobi where they called off the strike.

But Prof Kaimenyi, when reached on the phone soon after the strike was called off, said public primary schools would still remain closed.

“The government hereby orders the closure of all public primary schools indefinitely, aware that primary school teachers continue to participate in an illegal and unconstitutional strike having refused to comply with legal directives of the Teachers Service Commission,” he had earlier said.

By the time of going to press, there were indications that the government would make a statement to review the closure of the schools.

Mr Sossion scoffed at the move, saying, it was not a solution to the teachers’ crisis, which stems from an agreement signed during former President Daniel arap Moi’s regime 16 years ago.

“Closing schools does not make a difference,” Mr Sossion said, adding: “After all, the schools have been closed since teachers went on strike.”

Public schools were expected to be closed early next month for the August holidays.