In the wake of termination, KNUT calls for legal reforms to protect teachers’ rights.
In the event that teachers are fired for disciplinary reasons, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) is advocating for a significant policy change that would safeguard their perks.
In Kilifi County, at a forum for teachers’ engagement, KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu called the current system unfair and discriminatory, asserting that a teacher’s right to perks should not be contingent on their conduct.
The union’s suggestion seeks to change the law so that, regardless of the circumstances of an educator’s departure from the profession, the government and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are required to recognize all accrued benefits.
“Our position as a union is that your behavior should have no bearing on your benefits when you are fired for any reason. You should be paid for the hours you put in,” Oyuu said.
The current policy disproportionately penalizes teachers who might have spent years in the classroom but forfeit their entire retirement benefits as a result of disciplinary offenses, some of which the union contends could be trivial or judged arbitrarily, according to KNUT.
In addition, Oyuu emphasized that financial entitlements should be determined by the service given rather than by individual behavior, even though accountability is essential.
The union’s initiative occurs at a time when there is a larger movement to change how the TSC treats teachers. KNUT recently denounced the disciplinary procedures and recruiting procedures, claiming that they are opaque and unfair.
These opinions were echoed by the Kilifi forum teachers, who shared anecdotes of coworkers who lost their jobs and finances as a result of what they thought were unfair terminations.
The proposal is likely to generate discussion in the education community and in government, particularly on the issue of how to strike a balance between employee rights and ethical and professional norms.
Nevertheless, KNUT maintains that, particularly in a profession that is already struggling with morale issues because of excessive workloads and few opportunities for career advancement, teachers’ financial security must not be jeopardized.
While the TSC has not made a formal announcement, sources say the commission may object to such a sweeping policy change, claiming that disciplinary measures must have teeth in order to preserve professional integrity in the teaching service.
It remains to be seen how the Ministry of Education and Parliament will react to what might become a key labor rights issue in Kenya’s education sector as KNUT gets ready to formally submit its plan.
