Secondary school teachers in Kirinyaga County are calling for a complete overhaul of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) leadership, accusing it of failing to fight for their welfare.
The teachers cited stalled promotions, an ineffective medical scheme, and poor union management as the biggest challenges facing them. They noted that while 15,000 primary school teachers, represented by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), benefited from promotions, only 5,000 secondary school teachers were promoted nationwide.
“Teachers Service Commission recently released a promotion list and out of over 300,000 teachers, only 5,000 got promoted. That is an injustice,” said Jacob Murigi of Nyagithuchi Secondary School. He added that many teachers have stagnated in one job group for more than a decade.
Murigi also faulted Kuppet for negotiating an ineffective medical insurance cover, forcing teachers to pay out-of-pocket for treatment despite monthly deductions of Sh5,000. “We’re now being forced to pay cash for medical care despite having a cover. This has left many colleagues struggling with high bills, especially those seeking inpatient treatment,” he said.
Teachers further accused the union of negotiating a poor salary increment deal, with some members receiving as little as Sh36, while the maximum increment was just Sh1,000.
Charles Mutuku of Rukenya Secondary School pointed out that the Kirinyaga Kuppet branch is still operating from rented premises despite collecting up to Sh10 million monthly. Unlike other branches that have acquired buses and built permanent offices, Kirinyaga has made little progress.
Mutuku also demanded that the union list accredited health facilities offering specialized care for teachers battling non-communicable diseases like cancer, hypertension, and diabetes.
“If the current leadership cannot represent us, then we must elect a new team that will fight for the dignity and welfare of teachers,” he said.
