Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has ordered for a through  scrutiny of the personnel who will be appointed to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) task force, to avoid what it termed as politicization of education matters.

According to Knut Deputy Secretary-General, Hesbon Otieno, KNUT welcomes CBC review and is ready to present its views on the new education curriculum.

“All the stakeholders in the education sector should be appointed to the task force to chart the way forward for the Competency-Based Curriculum. We ask President William Ruto to exclude from the task force individuals who will bring politics to the education discussion table,” said Mr Otieno.

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Otieno was speaking at Kapsoit secondary school during the election for the Kericho KNUT branch executive secretary.

Further, Otieno asked the Kenya Kwanza government to fulfil its election pledge to hire 106,000 teachers.

“KNUT had also initiated negotiations with the Teachers Service Commission for a 60 per salary increment for teachers. We ask Ruto’s government to award the teachers their demands and avert the strikes which have been the norm in previous governments,” he said.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) is seeking to re-open negotiations on its 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
According to Knut Deputy Secretary General Hesbon Otieno, the union has written to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) asking for new talks.
Otieno said the move follows President Uhuru Kenyatta’s announcement last month during Labour Day celebrations that the minimum wage be increased by 12 per cent.
“The President said that, having assessed the economic growth and revitalisation of industrialisation, the economy is doing well,” said Otieno, who spoke in Mumias at the weekend.
He said Knut’s research team is doing an economic survey for presentation to TSC, adding that the 2021-2025 CBA needs revision.
“We know the challenges we have — mainly a rise in the prices of basic commodities,” he added.
In talks between TSC and all teachers’ unions last year, a need to heed the directive of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to freeze salary reviews for two years was emphasised.

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The TSC also considered the current financial situation. “To maintain industrial relations with the union, the TSC invited the unions for a second meeting and they reached a deal. The Commission has signed a new CBA with the three unions for 2021 to 2025,” said TSC.
Knut defended its move to sign a non-monetary CBA, with its Secretary General, Collins Oyuu, saying the decision was arrived at after extensive consultations with independent experts.
Last July, Oyuu said: “Based on reports by experts, Knut held a national executive committee meeting and ratified the decision to sign the CBA without increased basic pay”

The upcoming KNUT National elections planned for May, send a lot of anxiety to teachers each passing day. Will the KNUT secretary General Wilson Sossion be on the ballot? And will he retain his seat?

Among those suspected to be interested in the KNUT secretary general seat are the KNUT treasurer John Matiang’i, KNUT deputy secretary general, Hesbon Otieno, acting KNUT chairman Collins Oyuu,and KNUT Kericho branch executive secretary, Stanley Mutai.

Sources very close to KNUT have it that Matiang’i is drawing a line up that will contest with Sossion’s line up during the KNUT delegates conference in May.

The same sources reveal that Matiang’i remains the senior most official that can easily oust Sossion, following the retirement of the former chairperson, Wycliffe Omucheyi.

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Majority of teachers, some branch executives, are currently in a fall out with Sossion, accusing him of all the woes that KNUT is currently facing.

The drop of members to below 30,000, is a very clear picture that teachers have lost trust either in Wilson Sossion, or in KNUT. In his leadership, Sossion has experienced several failed coups between 2017 and 2019, and the coup plotters are working silently on another scheme for a new phase of the tussles.

Bomet executive secretary, Malal Lang’at, said those seeking national positions won’t succeed unless they extend their campaigns to delegates in all branches.

“We have been endorsing those fellows in the head office for ages but this time, let each seat have challengers so that we elect the best,” said Lang’at.

Gucha branch executive secretary Lucy Machuki, has declared publicly that she strongly opposes Sossion’s candidature.

“I am not supporting Sossion’s candidature and am speaking it loudly because he has destroyed the union. By fighting the government, you can’t win” Machuki declared.

Executive secretaries from Butere, Mumias, Kakamega North, Lugari, Bungoma north, Teso, Kakamega central, and Hamisi, are blaming Sossion for the exodus of Members from KNUT due to his mismanagement skills.

What all these allegations mean is that, should Sossion face a strong opponent in the May elections, he may lose his seat.