Knut Push for Higher School Capitation and Confirmation of 56,000 Intern Teachers
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has urged the government to raise both primary and secondary school capitation money.
The union has proposed to the Education Ministry that the capitation for Free Primary Education be increased from Sh1,420 to Sh4,000.
The presidential working party proposed revising the figure to Sh2,237, which the union claims is still too low.
Knut proposes increasing capitation for Junior Secondary School to Sh22,000, up from Sh15,547 set by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
The union wants the money for senior high school increased from the present allocation of Sh22,244 to Sh35,000.
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KNUT has also expressed optimism about the launch of Junior School in a year.
The union wants the government to set approximately Sh5,000 for pre-primary schools, which will be part of primary schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), just like JSS.
This marks an increase from the Sh1,170 recommendation put forward by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms through county administrations.
The idea comes as the union kicks off its 63rd annual delegates conference today (Monday), which will last three days till December 6.
Knut has also urged the government to disregard the argument about moving the JSS from primary to secondary schools.
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During the NEC meeting on Sunday, Collins Oyuu, the Secretary of Knut Union, asserted that primary school principals should manage the comprehensive school, covering pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary levels.
“It is an insult to think that primary school teachers are not able to teach and run JSS,” Oyuu stated in a statement.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers spearheaded the plan to relocate JSS, claiming that primary schools lack the competence to support the junior school level.
Knut, on the other hand, has dismissed the notion as typical union politics and wants the JSS rollout to proceed as planned.
He pointed out that the primary schools, numbering around 23,000 compared to a substantially lower count of 8,000 secondary schools, can indeed ensure better access to education.
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Concerned about primary school teachers’ ability to handle JSS, the union stated that there are a significant number of qualified educators with diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate qualifications capable of handling JSS education.
They advised Kuppet not to undermine the instructors’ ability to teach JSS, despite their extensive training and retooling.
He added that comprehensive research conducted by educational and economic experts supported the decision to house JSS under the Comprehensive School.
Regarding the condition of intern teachers whose contracts are set to expire at the end of the year, the union stated that there has been no formal contact on the subject.
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He petitioned the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to extend permanent and pensionable periods to over 56,000 interns.
TSC disclosed to lawmakers in November that it aims to prolong intern teachers’ contracts for another month before confirming them to permanent and pensionable terms in 2025.
Knut Push for Higher School Capitation and Confirmation of 56,000 Intern Teachers
