Kabarnet Special School Closed Over 22-Month Unpaid Salaries.
The Kabarnet special school in Baringo County has been forced to cease learning activities due to a strike by its workers who have not been paid for the last 22 months.
This sudden closure has left parents and learners in a state of confusion and despair as they are stranded without any direction.
The school management was forced to announce the closure after it became apparent that the non-payment of salaries to the staff had rendered the institution inoperable.
The strike has been ongoing for some time now, with some of the staff members having resigned prior to the closure.
The situation has been dire, with reports of some learners becoming ill due to the pressure and challenges of the school.
Parents and teachers are now urging the government to intervene and disburse the unpaid salaries so that the normal operations of the school can resume.
The closure of the Kabarnet special school highlights the dire consequences of failing to pay workers their salaries.
It is not just a matter of delayed gratification, but rather it is a matter of basic needs that require to be met on a monthly basis.
They are not the only teachers facing a delay in salary disbursement, as newly recruited Junior Secondary School teachers have also been affected.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) recently hired 35,500 Junior Secondary School teachers, but almost half of them have not yet received their salaries.
“Workers rely on their salaries to provide for their families, and any delay or non-payment can cause untold suffering and disruption to their lives.” One parent said.
Pension payment for over 23,000 Kenyan teachers who retired between 1998 and 2003 has also been delayed.
Kabarnet Special School Closed Over 22-Month Unpaid Salaries.