Nyamira BGA was held today. Majority of the
participants have commended the organizers of the event for a well-organized
meeting. The union members were issued with KUPPET branded T-shits.
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| KUPPET Nyamira teachers following the proceedings of the BGA |
The branch officials looked organised and well prepared for the meeting.
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| KUPPET Nyamira chairman, Mr. Makaa (far left), introducing the branch officials. |
While addressing the teachers, national deputy secretary
general Moses Nthurima, thanked the Nyamira teachers for attending the assembly
in large numbers. He also appreciated the leadership of other branches who
managed to attend the Nyamira BGA. He informed the teachers that even though
the meeting was intended for the KUPPET teachers of Nyamira branch, the
national office had come to express solidarity with the teachers of Nyamira. In
his remarks, Mr. Nthurima noted that every generation has got challenges and
opportunities. The opportunity we have today is that we have a new constitution
that is one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. The country is
today being governed by the rule of law and when we come to the Teachers
Service Commission (TSC), they must operate within the parameters of the rules
that have been set. He noted that although TSC has not fully democratized the
institution, there is a semblance of meeting the teachers and asking their
feelings and views.
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| KUPPET officials taking questions from the audience. |
On the issue of democracy, the national deputy secretary
general Moses Nthurima, was pleased that there is a team of teachers that are
running the issue of BBF in Nyamira. On the national scope democracy has
enabled teachers to sit in parliament for instance the KUPPET chairman Mr. Omboko
Milemba who is a member of parliament for Emuhaya constituency.
On the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the
union will be fronting for a harmonized house allowance. According to Mr. Nthurima,
every teacher has a right to a decent housing. As at now, a teacher in Nairobi
in job group C3 earns KSh 28,000 as house allowance while a teacher in the same
job group in Nyamira earns KSh 13,000. “House allowance must be based on job
groups and not geography” said Mr. Nthurima.
The union will be negotiating for a 30 – 70 percent
increase in salary, risk allowance for science teachers and another risk
allowance for all post-primary teachers.
Farther the union will be fronting an idea that TSC
should retain a kitty to remunerate teachers who are going out with students.
The remuneration of teachers on official duty outside the school should not be left
at the discretion of the principals.
TSC should pay overtime to the teachers for time
worked outside the working hours.
The notes have been prepared by;
Erwin Mogusu
omogusu@gmail.com
www.omogusu.blogspot.com
