The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) is making some noise and opposing a move by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER). What’s the issue? Well, the PWPER wants to demote non-graduate primary school head teachers who don’t have degrees as we aerlier reported. But Knut is proposing to give them more time to complete their degrees.”
Collins Oyuu, the Secretary General of Knut, is the man with the plan. He supports the radical reforms proposed by the PWPER, but he’s not on board with this demotion idea. Oyuu firmly believes that non-graduate primary school head teachers should be given the opportunity to finish their degrees before any demotions take place.
Oyuu made his stance clear during a Knut Coast Regional Council meeting held at Ronald Ngala Primary School in Mombasa. He expressed his concern about the demotion proposal and labeled it as one of the worst labor practices. Why? Well, he pointed out that a whopping 99 percent of Kenyan head teachers are university graduates. That’s right—most of them have already earned their degrees. But for those who haven’t, Oyuu wants to ensure they have the chance to upgrade their qualifications through further training and education.
The PWPER’s plan was to have head teachers leading primary schools hosting Junior Secondary School (JSS) serve in their positions temporarily until December 30, 2023. But Knut is saying, “Not so fast!” They believe in supporting non-graduate head teachers and presenting their proposals to the working group. It’s all about standing together and advocating for their rights.
Now, let’s move on to another proposal by the PWPER—the creation of comprehensive schools. This idea aims to bring together pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary schools under one head teacher. Oyuu actually welcomes this proposal, as it would bring clarity and eliminate confusion among head teachers in charge of these comprehensive schools. Finally, a step towards streamlining the system!
So, while Knut is all for the creation of comprehensive schools, they want to ensure that non-graduate head teachers are given the time and support they need to obtain higher qualifications. It’s a fair ask, don’t you think? After all, everyone deserves a chance to grow and improve in their profession.