Kuppet Wants Magoha Fired For Opposing 60% Teachers’ Pay Raise.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) are now calling for the firing of Education CS George Magoha.
On Saturday, KUPPET officials from Busia and Siaya accused the CS of meddling in the affairs of teachers.
Officials speaking in Busia town dubbed Magoha’s opposition to the proposed 60% raise in teachers’ salaries “disrespectful.”
“It is in the public domain that the union talked of negotiations and discussions with the Teachers Service Commission regarding salaries increase.
“But he (Magoha) rubbished and dismissed the same and said there is not going to be any discussion about an increment of teachers’ salaries and allowances,” Siaya branch secretary Sam Opondo said.
“We are telling him that he has no business interfering with matters teachers’ management. Let him manage the ministry and leave issues to do with teachers’ salaries to TSC.”
Opondo believes Magoha’s opposition to the instructors’ salary increase demands does not bode well for their families.
“I would want to ask the CS for Education to tone down and trim the pride he displays when he is handling teachers’ affairs,” Opondo said adding that “Self-regulation is important.”
The Kuppet official made the remarks to the media during the union’s annual general meeting in Busia town, which was attended by over 700 union members.
Opondo spoke nine days after Magoha stated that the government was unable to meet teachers’ demands for increased pay.
The CS, who was commissioning the second phase of classroom construction in Mombasa, stated that the ministry is currently concentrating on completing classrooms for the transition to junior secondary schools next year.
“The government is already spending 25.9 percent on education. Although I’m not the one in the salaries docket, the 60 percent teachers are asking for is unreasonable,” Magoha said.
The CS stated that Kenya’s economy had deteriorated and that the teachers’ demands could not be met.
He claims that having good value for money will solve those problems because the government has already spent enough money on the ministry.
The CS was responding to Knut secretary general Collins Oyuu’s July 20 statement that the high cost of living had forced a rethinking of teacher salaries.
Teachers, according to Oyuu, have demanded a 60% pay increase, which they want to be implemented immediately.
Moffats Okisai, Opondo’s Busia counterpart, said Magoha should focus on ensuring the ministry’s operations run smoothly and leave the teachers’ unions to negotiate the proposed salary increase with TSC.
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Okisai stated that with the cost of living rising by the day, it was past time for the teachers’ employer to raise teacher salaries.
He claimed that by meddling in teacher salaries, the CS was no longer fulfilling his intended role as ministry head.
Kuppet Wants Magoha Fired For Opposing 60% Teachers’ Pay Raise
