Tell TSC to reinstate the JSS intern teachers you were fired for.
Governor Fernandes Barasa of Kakamega has demanded that the Teachers Service Commission bring back junior secondary school intern teachers who were fired.
On June 10, the teacher employer sent letters of termination to 742 JSS teachers, citing their departure from duty to participate in the JSS teachers’ strike.
“In view of the above, the Commission has decided to terminate your Internship engagement with effect from June 6, 2024, because you engaged in acts of professional misconduct in that you deserted duty with effect from May 13, 2024, to date while engaged as an Intern teacher,” the letters stated in part.
The TSC stated that certain teachers never bothered to provide an explanation for their actions, accusing them of providing unsatisfactory justifications for the show-course letters received on May 13.
Governor Barasa stated that although picketing is a constitutionally recognized right, the teachers are victims of circumstances.
He declared, “I demand reinstatement of the JSS teachers on behalf of the Council of Governors because picketing is their right.”
“We want the same spirit to apply to JSS teachers. Doctors went on strike, we had a conversation, and we unconditionally brought them back.” Barasa stated.
Speaking at Mumias Complex Primary School during the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Mumias Branch AGM was the governor.
The county administrator criticized the teacher’s employer for apparent intimidation.
TSC reports that 10,348 instructors missed work starting on May 13, but only 9,606 of them replied to the show-course letters in the allotted two weeks.
“On the grounds that you engaged in acts of professional misconduct in that you deserted duty with effect from May 13, 2024, to date while engaged as an intern teacher,” TSC informed the impacted teachers. “The Commission has decided to terminate your internship engagement with effect from June 6, 2024.”
Barasa requested that the Commission remove the JSS teachers’ contractual employment and amend the terms of their employment.
“Going forward, we’ll also insist that they be hired on a permanent and pensionable basis because, despite their hard work, most of our schools lack adequate infrastructure,” stated Barasa.
By July 1, 2024, it would cost taxpayers around Sh30 billion to hire all 46,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable conditions, based on estimates provided by TSC.
Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u, however, allotted Sh13.4 billion in the approximate 2024–25 Budget for the permanent and pensionable employment of junior secondary school teachers.
The teachers were fired merely two days after they declared an end to a statewide walkout that had begun on April 17 in order to facilitate the passing of the budget.
Governor Barasa, meanwhile, reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing Kakamega County’s educational system.
The county government spent Sh274 million building 60 ECDE centers, one for each ward, in the current fiscal year. It also hired ECDE teachers with pension benefits and paid tuition to 925 centers.
Barasa also disclosed that all 60 wards’ ECD centers will soon begin a school feeding program run by the county administration.
Tell TSC to reinstate the JSS intern teachers you were fired for.
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