Labour Ministry hold talks to avert teachers strike

The Ministry of Labour has planned a series of meetings in a last minute effort to avert the teachers strike set for this Thursday.

The conciliation committee held a meeting with Teachers Service Commission (TSC) early Monday morning to seek clarifications on contentious issues.

It is expected to hold another meeting later this afternoon to deliberate further on contentious issues raised by teachers.

Parents across the country have began preparing their children to go back to school come January 3^rd.

But an obvious uncertainty looms as the teachers union Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) calls on its members to withdraw their services come the 3^rd of January.

On the sidelines however the ministry of labour has been burning the midnight oil as it tries to mediate between TSC and KNUT efforts that are seemingly not bearing any fruits.

The conciliation committee was scheduled to meet TSC to further seek clarification on contentious issues that have led to the dispute between the teachers and their employer.

Another meeting is scheduled for later this afternoon to deliberate   on four key issues raised, Delocalization, teacher’s promotions, performance contracting and the teacher’s professional development modules.

Elsewhere, Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET) has sort to distance itself from the strike calling on their members to report to work.

While addressing a press briefing, Laikipia’s branch Executive Secretary Ndungu Wangenye said their members will not participate in the strike.

Wagenye observed that there was room for dialogue with the TSC and assured parents that learning will not be affected as schools re-open.

He however took issues with the disbursement of government text books to public schools claiming they were substandard.

Wagenye called for a thorough audit of the quality of the books they were giving out to schools both in material and in content to ensure that learners get quality materials for learning.