Teachers strike enters day two

Written By:Anthony Kaikai/sources,    Posted: Tue, Sep 04, 2012

Teachers have vowed to stay put Kenyan teachers Tuesday defied Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo's directive to return to work vowing to stay put until their grievances are fully addressed. Addressing Journalists in Nairobi, Kenya National Union of Teachers' (KNUT) National Chairman Wilson Sosion said that Mutula should apologize to teachers for ordering them back to classes. Sosion said that the minister's remarks were in bad faith adding that he has failed as the Education Minister by ignoring the problems of the Kenyan teachers. He called on the teachers to stay put and not to be cowed by threats issued by the government. Sosion said that it is unfortunate that the government has failed to honor the 1997 pay rise agreement adding that it was an indication that it was not concerned about the plight of the teachers. In Migori police beefed up security in and around Migori Teachers Training College where Secondary school principals and primary school head teachers were sitting for school management examinations. The striking teachers marched toward the college blocking the Migori-Sirare highway. Striking teachers in Meru have called on the Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI) to cancel the head teacher's examination national wide arguing that the exams have been leaked hence incredible. Led by KNUT Nyambene Branch Executive Secretary Julius Taitumu, the teachers ejected the heads from the venue and destroyed some of the papers they alleged had been leaked. Mutula acknowledged that teachers' had legitimate grievances but pleaded with them to comply with the court injunction if they wanted the court to determine the dispute should there be a total stalemate in the projected negotiations. He said that he would forward the teachers' issues to the cabinet for discussion. The strike kicked off Monday as schools re-opened for the third term.