The government, through the Office of the Government Spokesperson, issued a late-night directive to parents regarding school reopening amid the ongoing standoff between teachers and their unions over a looming strike.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura urged parents to prepare students for the start of the third term, assuring them that the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESHA), has taken measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all learners.
This directive comes at a time when the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), representing most secondary school teachers, has insisted that their planned strike is still in effect.
KUPPET maintains that secondary school teachers should not report to work as the third term begins due to unresolved labor issues.
Despite this, the government emphasized that parents should send their children to school from today as negotiations with KUPPET continue.
The government assured that students will be well taken care of and their education will not be disrupted, even as talks with the teachers’ union are ongoing.
In a statement addressing the strike concerns, the government, in conjunction with KESSHA, the Ministry of Education, and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding students’ welfare in schools during this period of uncertainty.
“Regarding the impending teachers’ strike due to labor disputes, KESSHA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the TSC, wishes to assure all parents and learners nationwide that students’ well-being and safety will be prioritized while they are in school,” read part of the statement.
The situation has been further complicated by conflicting messages from the teachers’ unions.
While the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called off the strike, KUPPET remains firm that its members should not return to work until their demands are met.
This contradiction has caused confusion among parents and the education community.
In the midnight notice, the government urged parents to disregard the mixed signals from the unions and prepare their children for the reopening of schools today, August 26, 2024.
The government assured parents that no student will be sent back home due to the ongoing teachers’ strike and that appropriate measures are in place to manage the situation.
Parents have been asked to focus on ensuring their children report to school as scheduled, while the government continues efforts to resolve the disagreement with KUPPET.
The assurance from the government aims to calm fears and maintain normalcy in schools as the third term kicks off despite the ongoing labor dispute.
