LOOMING STRIKE: Teachers Threaten Massive Action Over KCSE Exam Pay
Tensions are rising as the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams approach, with teachers threatening to take legal action over an outstanding salary dispute.
AfricasNow has learned that just two weeks before the exams begin, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is dealing with dissatisfaction among educators who are demanding better pay for invigilating, overseeing, and grading the exams.
The government has failed to commit to these demands, causing worries about potential disruptions.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has led the charge for increased pay, presenting a formal proposal to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba in September.
BREAKING NEWS: KNUT to call for a nationwide strike over TSC's failure to honour the payment agreement deal! They will not believe!#NaneNaneMarch pic.twitter.com/t5gvGwjjzT
— Cornelius K. Ronoh (@itskipronoh) August 6, 2024
The union is proposing daily rates of Ksh3,000 for invigilators, Ksh3,500 for supervisors, and Ksh4,500 for principals who oversee examination centers.
Currently, these officials receive only Ksh400 to Ksh500 each day. Despite the union’s constant appeals, the administration has remained silent on the issue, with no indication of a negotiation.
Collins Oyuu, Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), told the press that educators are growing increasingly frustrated with the deadlock.
“The government has yet to address our demands. Teachers are growing impatient,” Oyuu remarked.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori shared these remarks, accusing the government of not taking the situation seriously.
“They’ve only called teachers for briefings, not discussions on allowances,” Misori stated.
Teachers’ complaints regarding exam allowances have simmered for months. In August, KUPPET vowed to strike over the matter, but the action was temporarily halted after striking a tentative agreement with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
However, with the government failing to follow through, unions are now again preparing for possible strike action.
KNEC, which already faces budgetary restrictions, has struggled to compensate exam officials since the government stopped charging fees for national exams.
Given the growing number of candidates, the organization’s Ksh5 billion budget is strained thin. Last year, allowances for supervisors, examiners, and markers were boosted, but unions claim the increases were insufficient.
KNEC recently announced new standards for the next tests, which will take place between October 28 and November 22, 2024.
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The council registered 965,501 candidates across 10,755 centres, up from 903,260 last year.
Exam papers will be personalized with each candidate’s photo and index number, aiming to enhance exam integrity.
Meanwhile, a false KCSE timetable has circulated online, adding to the concern. KNEC rejected the material, directing Kenyans to its official website for updated schedules.
“The timetable doing the rounds is inaccurate and not from the Kenya National Examinations Council,” the council clarified.
LOOMING STRIKE: Teachers Threaten Massive Action Over KCSE Exam Pay
