Kenyan Teachers Defy Court Order, Continue Strike for Better Conditions

Secondary school teachers in Nyeri, Kenya, affiliated with the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), have defied a court order to end their strike. The teachers are demanding improved working conditions, including salary increases and the implementation of a new collective bargaining agreement. Despite a court order on Tuesday directing them to return to work, the teachers have vowed to continue their industrial action until their demands are met. Led by Nyeri KUPPET branch executive secretary Francis Wanjohi, the teachers held demonstrations, carrying placards with messages directed at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Wanjohi accused the TSC of acting in bad faith by seeking court intervention instead of engaging in negotiations with KUPPET. The teachers are also demanding the promotion of 130,000 teachers who have stagnated in their current job grades, confirmation of 46,000 junior secondary school intern teachers, and the hiring of 20,000 additional teachers. KUPPET is also seeking the resolution of issues related to teachers’ medical cover and unpaid loans and National Social Security Fund deductions. The union advised parents to keep their children at home until the strike ends, citing safety concerns due to the lack of teachers in schools.