Teachers gained big at State House, says Omboko Milemba

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) chairman Omboko Milemba has defended the Saturday meeting at State House terming it both historic and fruitful.

Milemba said the meeting gave teachers an opportunity to escalate issues that independent bodies had failed to address.

Chief among them was the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that had stalled under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

“Because always when we are doing the CBAs there are limits which we cannot decide and you will find TSC and the authorities on the table indicating that we have to make further reference,” Milemba explained.

The Emuhaya MP said the meeting that brought together 10,000 teacher representatives has  brought good tidings to tutors on issues that has been laying for decades.

“This time it was unique because the President met the teachers directly. Indeed, we were able to conclude the CBA,” he said.

He revealed that the Sh33.8 billion CBA, originally scheduled to be paid in four phases over four years, will now be compressed into two phases.

“If that happens, it will be very good for teachers,” he said, noting that the new arrangement makes the increments more practical for educators who had complained of stagnation.

Another major outcome was the agreement to review the contentious Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), which Milemba said had left teachers uncertain about promotions.

“Some teachers wait up to 30 years without moving up. Now, TSC has committed to regularize acting appointments of deputies, principals, and heads of departments, making them permanent and pensionable. To me, that is magical,” Milemba said.

Milemba noted that thousands of teachers who have missed on recruitment will benefit from the talks.

“P1 teachers who have been struggling since 2011 are going to be employed. There has been a freeze on employment of P1 teachers and some of them are retiring before they even work,” he stated.

“In the next session of employment, a set of teachers as part of what we agreed will start getting employment, starting next year.”

The housing levy, one of the most divisive issues, also featured in the discussions with the lawmaker admitting that teachers were initially resistant but agreed after assurances of adjustments to their payslips.

Importantly, he said, 20 percent of affordable housing units will now be allocated to teachers. “Teachers contribute Sh90 million monthly to the housing fund. We insisted on a mechanism that gives them direct benefit, and that was achieved,” he said.

On capitation, the President committed to restoring allocations to Sh22,244 per secondary school student and Sh2,300 for primary learners, with the shortfall to be closed in two financial cycles. Milemba termed this a victory after years of underfunding.

“For the first time we pushed capitation directly to the President, and he promised to revert to previous allocations. That was our business to push until results come.”

Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba questioned the propriety of teachers negotiating at State House instead of through unions and Parliament.

“Teachers who have been crying of depression over debts are the same we saw dancing at State House after being promised. The President does not deal with the budget; that is Parliament’s role,” she said.

Ouko Muthoni, CEO of the Tunza Mtoto Coalition warned that unions risk being co-opted politically.

“We do not have unions thinking about the big picture. They exist to advocate for more, but not to question where the handouts are coming from.”

Milemba dismissed the criticism, insisting that teachers have a right to visit State House and that the 10,000 who attended represented 2 percent of the entire workforce.

He also clarified that hardship allowances, which had faced reclassification, were safeguarded. “The hardship allowances was part of the memorandum we took there. We had gone to court against it and the circular to reduce hardship areas had already been shelved, and teachers will not lose those benefits,” he said.

While acknowledging that appropriation of funds remains the duty of Parliament, Milemba stressed that presidential commitments carry weight.

“Even manifestos are promissory notes. What matters is that we follow through,” he said.