The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has succeeded in its call for the training of Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers to be completed within the weekdays on Friday instead of on Sunday as it was earlier planned.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) had initially planned to conduct the retooling exercise for Grade 7 (Junior Secondary School) teachers on the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) and the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) between the 13th and the 19th of March, 2023.
The physical training took place in the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) and selected venues in the County targeting the retooling of headteachers for three days and teachers for six days.
The Commission failed to consider that there are teachers who worship over the weekend meaning that many teachers would have had to reconsider or even miss out on the training.
Following protests by Junior Secondary School teachers, KNUT was forced to intervene and come to a consensus with TSC.
KNUt represents the bulk of primary school teachers across the country despite wrangles between the Commission and the former KNUT Secretary-General Wilson Sossion which led to a substantial reduction in membership orchestrated by the Commission.
“We are happy to inform you that following our intervention the Commission has taken a total departure from the earlier arrangement and has communicated to all County Directors and TOTs on the same.
“The training exercise shall end on Friday 17th March 2023. This information must reach the concerned teachers as soon as possible,” said KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu.
However, with the days having been included in the training, there is uncertainty on whether teachers and trainers of trainers will be paid for the same.
The training targeted headteachers from both regular and SNE and even teachers with Bachelors’ degree or Diploma in Education with at least a C+ (Plus) mean grade or its equivalent and two teaching subjects.
The Commission said that the training involved teachers who are currently employed in Junior Secondary Schools.
The target teachers were grouped according to the following six subject areas:
- English, Literature, foreign and indigenous languages.
- Kiswahili and Kenya Sign Language.
- Pure Sciences-Integrated Science – Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Health Education.
- Mathematics.
- Humanities – Social Studies (Citizenship, Geography, History) Religious Studies (CRE, IRE, Hindu, FIRE and PPI) and life skills.
- Technical subjects – Pre-Vocational and pre-career – Business Studies, Sports and Physical Education, Home Science, Art and Design.
Teachers who were participating in the training were to be paid Kes. 3,300 for the six days while headteachers were compensated Kes. 1,650.