KNUT SAYS YES

The Kenya National Union of Teachers has endorsed the Proposed Kenya Constitution that was published on Thursday.

The National Executive Council of the umbrella teachers’ union made the announcement in Nairobi and advised teachers to support the new law.

Addressing the media after holding a closed-door meeting to discuss the position, the officials said it had served the teachers adequately by empowering the Teachers Service Commission.

“We want teachers and the general public to know that teachers of this country have said Yes to the draft constitution,” said Mr David Osiany, Knut deputy secretary-general.

However, the officials said they will not join politicians on public campaigns for the document and that they will instead use their own meetings to persuade teachers to vote for it.

Independent body

What pleased them most, they added, was the inclusion of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) as an independent body in the proposed supreme law.

They added that the law was not “cast on stone” hence the issues being raised by those opposed to the draft could be addressed in future.

Knut chairman George Wesonga said the draft had granted teachers what they had asked for: a Teachers Service Commission independent from a government ministry.

“The TSC has now been given more power,” he said.

“It will no longer receive funds through the Ministry of education, but directly from the government.”

The teachers’ officials spoke as Attorney General Amos Wako officially published the new law Thursday, paving way for the referendum expected in August.

Section 237 of the draft establishes a Teachers Service Commission whose duties shall include registering, recruiting and deploying trained teachers.

The commission will also be responsible for discipline and termination of duty for the teachers.