Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) issued a press briefing on Sunday, October 25, to underscore its support for the Building Bridges Initiative report (BBI).
The union showed full support of the report and urged all teachers to be the medium between the citizens and the report. Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori stated that the union, along with other labor groups, had taken the initiative towards educating Kenyans on the said report.
“We urge teachers to seize this constitutional moment and to read and interpret the document for all citizens within their communities. This process will help citizens make informed choices during the anticipated referendum,” Misori said.
The union also advocated for the creation of a professional body to manage the matters regarding to teachers emphasizing that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) would remain as their employer.
TSC is set to alter its hiring process with regard to county boarding schools, in the interest of promoting diversity and reducing conflict.
On Wednesday, October 21, the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report, which was presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta indicated that not more than half of teachers deployed by TSC to boarding schools should originate from outside counties.
“Stakeholders further said that programs should be put in place for cultural exchange and integration between different schools so that learners can grow to appreciate the different cultures and dynamics in Kenya,” read the report in part. The report further cautioned that teachers should be vetted on a case by case basis before being transferred to different counties.
“On teachers recruitment, the Ministry (of Education) should adopt policy guidelines that discourage local recruitment and staffing of teachers, depending on the circumstances,” added the report.
Misori along with Kuppet Chairman Omboko Milemba also voiced their opinions on the school reopening process urging the Education Ministry to reconsider the phased reopening process and to allow all students to go back to school.
Misori asked Magoha to fully reopen schools and send all the students back to class after Grade 4, Class 8, and Form 4 students reported back to school on Monday, October 12.
“We are going to lose an entire generation, we are asking the CS to be bold enough and to open all schools to learn normally,” Misori noted.
He issued reasons why children are safer in school compared to when they are at home as the country has moved to gradually reopen the economy.
“Parents are going to the bars, they are attending political rallies, churches are open, they have even increased the number of attendees to churches and even funerals.
“Students presence at home is more hurting than when they are in school, yes it would be a real challenge to continue having normal programs when schools fully reopen,” he opined.
