NAIROBI, Kenya – The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has directed its officers to collect attendance data from public schools to take disciplinary action against non-compliant teachers.
This move follows a court order deeming the strike illegal.
As of Thursday, teachers on the TSC payroll began receiving their August salaries, with the majority expected to be fully paid by Friday.
These salaries, which have been backdated to July 1, reflect the enhanced pay scales outlined in the second phase of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), a key demand of the striking teachers.
TSC has instructed county directors to immediately compile attendance data and send it to the TSC headquarters for further action.
This directive marks the latest step by the commission to address the ongoing strike, now in its fifth day, which has left public secondary school classrooms empty and students unattended.
Only school administrators have remained on duty in government schools, maintaining minimal operations while most teachers continue their boycott.
KUPPET officials insist that their members will not return to classrooms until a return-to-work agreement is signed, addressing their grievances.
Despite this, the TSC maintains that the strike is illegal, citing a ruling from the Labour and Employment Court obtained earlier this week.
The court, responding to an urgent application by the TSC, issued an order on Tuesday declaring the strike unlawful and requiring KUPPET members to resume work. The ruling is set to be revisited on September 5.
TSC Legal Director Cavin Anyuor confirmed that the commission has served the union with the court order and expects full compliance.
“The commission will be monitoring union members’ compliance and expects officials to respect the order,” Anyuor stated.
To enforce the court’s directive, the TSC has instructed school heads to maintain accurate attendance records and forward these to sub-county TSC officials.
These records will be used to identify and punish teachers who have failed to report to duty since schools reopened.
Penalties could include salary deductions for the days absent, which would negatively impact the teachers’ payslips and retirement benefits.
A senior TSC official confirmed the directive, emphasizing the importance of the collected data in guiding disciplinary decisions.
“We have issued instructions to our officials because we believe the strike is illegal as directed by the court,” the official noted.
KNUT called off its strike just before the start of the new term, citing a willingness to allow the TSC time to address its demands, KUPPET remains resolute.
The union argues that the strike is not merely about teacher welfare but is also a stand to safeguard the educational rights of Kenyan children.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori urged members to continue their strike, dismissing any threats from the TSC as distractions.
Among KUPPET’s demands are the full implementation of the CBA, promotions for teachers, employment of Junior Secondary School teachers, and reinstatement of their medical cover.
In response to these demands, the TSC has announced that the National Treasury has released Sh13 billion to implement the CBA, allowing teachers to access medical cover benefits at facilities of their choice.
The new salary adjustments will see teachers receive an increase ranging from Sh1,000 to Sh3,000, backdated to July 1.
For example, a senior primary school teacher in Grade C2 will see their basic salary rise from Sh44,776 to Sh47,858 per month.
This move follows a court order deeming the strike illegal.
As of Thursday, teachers on the TSC payroll began receiving their August salaries, with the majority expected to be fully paid by Friday.
These salaries, which have been backdated to July 1, reflect the enhanced pay scales outlined in the second phase of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), a key demand of the striking teachers.
TSC has instructed county directors to immediately compile attendance data and send it to the TSC headquarters for further action.
This directive marks the latest step by the commission to address the ongoing strike, now in its fifth day, which has left public secondary school classrooms empty and students unattended.
Only school administrators have remained on duty in government schools, maintaining minimal operations while most teachers continue their boycott.
KUPPET officials insist that their members will not return to classrooms until a return-to-work agreement is signed, addressing their grievances.
Despite this, the TSC maintains that the strike is illegal, citing a ruling from the Labour and Employment Court obtained earlier this week.
The court, responding to an urgent application by the TSC, issued an order on Tuesday declaring the strike unlawful and requiring KUPPET members to resume work. The ruling is set to be revisited on September 5.
TSC Legal Director Cavin Anyuor confirmed that the commission has served the union with the court order and expects full compliance.
“The commission will be monitoring union members’ compliance and expects officials to respect the order,” Anyuor stated.
To enforce the court’s directive, the TSC has instructed school heads to maintain accurate attendance records and forward these to sub-county TSC officials.
These records will be used to identify and punish teachers who have failed to report to duty since schools reopened.
Penalties could include salary deductions for the days absent, which would negatively impact the teachers’ payslips and retirement benefits.
A senior TSC official confirmed the directive, emphasizing the importance of the collected data in guiding disciplinary decisions.
“We have issued instructions to our officials because we believe the strike is illegal as directed by the court,” the official noted.
KNUT called off its strike just before the start of the new term, citing a willingness to allow the TSC time to address its demands, KUPPET remains resolute.
The union argues that the strike is not merely about teacher welfare but is also a stand to safeguard the educational rights of Kenyan children.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori urged members to continue their strike, dismissing any threats from the TSC as distractions.
Among KUPPET’s demands are the full implementation of the CBA, promotions for teachers, employment of Junior Secondary School teachers, and reinstatement of their medical cover.
In response to these demands, the TSC has announced that the National Treasury has released Sh13 billion to implement the CBA, allowing teachers to access medical cover benefits at facilities of their choice.
The new salary adjustments will see teachers receive an increase ranging from Sh1,000 to Sh3,000, backdated to July 1.
For example, a senior primary school teacher in Grade C2 will see their basic salary rise from Sh44,776 to Sh47,858 per month.
