The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Machakos branch, has issued a stern warning to the government and the National Assembly to urgently address challenges facing teachers, or risk a nationwide strike.
The union, through its leaders, has raised concern over delays in implementing key reforms in the education sector.
Among the key issues is the proposed law that would grant teachers greater autonomy, as well as the need to improve services under the Social Health Authority, SHA.
Speaking in Machakos, Branch Secretary Yvonne Musyoka warned that teachers will not report back to school when the next term resumes on Monday next week if their grievances are not addressed.
She also urged parents to keep learners at home until the government takes decisive action.
And in what could deal a major blow to thousands of learners across the country, the standoff now threatens to disrupt learning, raising concerns over an already tight academic calendar.
At the same time, the union is demanding the immediate employment of more than forty-four thousand teachers under the Junior Secondary School, JSS, programme.
They want to be hired on permanent and pensionable terms instead of the current internship arrangement, which they say is unfair and violates their rights.
The union insists the internship programme should be abolished immediately, in line with court directives.
KUPPET now warns that failure to resolve these issues before the start of the new term could paralyse learning activities nationwide.
