KNUT Raises Alarm Over Teacher Recruitment, Union Membership and Alleged Political Interference

 

 By Wasike Elvis 

A fresh dispute has erupted among teachers’ unions over the alleged movement of teachers between unions, recruitment practices and what KNUT officials describe as political interference in the affairs of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) officials from the Rift Valley have protested what they termed the forced movement of their members to the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) following the deployment of primary school teachers to Junior Secondary Schools.

Speaking during the protest, KNUT Rift Valley Regional Chairman John Koech accused the TSC of moving teachers who had been deployed to junior schools from KNUT to KUPPET without their consent.

Koech said the affected teachers had voluntarily joined KNUT and some had even been elected to leadership positions within the union at branch and regional levels.

He called on the TSC to respect teachers’ constitutional right to choose their preferred union, while urging KUPPET to stop what he described as aggressive recruitment of teachers who are already KNUT members.

The concerns were echoed by other KNUT officials, who also raised questions over teacher recruitment and promotion processes within the TSC.

The Wareng Branch KNUT Executive Secretary accused politicians of interfering with the recruitment of teachers, claiming that some politicians issue employment letters during burials, fundraisers and church functions.

He alleged that some employment letters are being sold for as much as Sh600,000, while qualified teachers who have waited for years remain unemployed.

According to the union official, some teachers who completed their Primary Teacher Education (PTE) training as early as 2017 are yet to secure employment, while others who completed their training in 2024 and 2025 have already been recruited and placed on the TSC payroll.

He said the disparities raised questions about the transparency and fairness of the teacher recruitment process, urging the commission to strengthen its systems and ensure that qualified teachers are recruited based on clear and transparent criteria.

The official also raised concerns over the promotion of teachers, calling for reforms to ensure that career progression within the teaching profession is handled fairly.

He, however, expressed confidence in the current TSC leadership, saying the commission’s leadership has an opportunity to address the challenges facing teachers.

“We trust her leadership,” he said, expressing hope that the current leadership would take action to improve the situation within the commission.

The union official also called for the confirmation of the current TSC Chief Executive Officer, saying stable leadership would help address challenges affecting recruitment, promotions and other administrative processes.

The protest also brought together officials from other teachers’ organisations, who expressed concern over the alleged movement of teachers between unions.

Anthony Kimurto, an executive secretary representing teachers, said they were dissatisfied with the employer’s handling of union membership, arguing that teachers redeployed to Junior Secondary Schools should not automatically be moved to another union.

Salome Kiplagat, an executive secretary from Marakwet, also accused authorities of transferring teachers to unions without obtaining their consent.

She further alleged that some teachers had been subjected to union deductions without signing up for membership and called for investigations into the matter.

The union officials urged the TSC to clarify its position on union membership and ensure that teachers’ rights are protected during the ongoing changes in the education sector.

They also called for greater transparency in teacher recruitment, promotions and union deductions, saying teachers should be allowed to make independent decisions on the organisations they wish to join.

The allegations made by the union officials have not been independently verified, and the TSC has not, in the remarks presented, responded to the claims concerning alleged political interference, payment for employment letters or forced union transfers.

The dispute comes amid continued changes in the education sector following the deployment of teachers to Junior Secondary Schools and ongoing discussions on the structure of comprehensive schools.

The KNUT officials said they would continue engaging relevant authorities to resolve the issues and protect the rights and interests of teachers.