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Citizen Weekly

Wednesday 15 April 2015

KNUT ACCUSES KAIMENYI OF DECEIT OVER HEAD TEACHERS



NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 15 – The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has accused Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi of deceit over his claims that he extensively consulted stakeholders before gazetting the regulations governing Basic Education.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference on Wednesday, Secretary General Wilson Sossion stated that discussions were ongoing before Kaimenyi decided to jump the gun and emphasized the need for the CS to revoke the regulations discuss the contentious issues.
He indicated that teachers will not take his actions lying down saying their relationship with the Ministry will be strained unless the regulations as they are cancelled.
“When he talks about the majority of the stakeholders in education, who are these? It is teachers who form 95 percent. Not a few crooks who have taken over the Ministry of Education… not the Muthonis and the Musau Ndunda’s of this world. We are confusing education in this world,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by KNUT National Chairman Mudzo Nzili who stated that teachers are ready to help the Ministry in streamlining the rules governing basic education.
“Our friend who we respect very much Jacob Kaimenyi has made a mistake and stepped on a snake. We will bite him in a bad place since the Kenya National Union of Teachers is a professional organization whose professionalism is in the head teachers,” he stated.
Kaimenyi stated on Tuesday that he will not revoke the gazette notice that gives him oversight over school head teachers, despite a seven-day ultimatum issued by a teachers’ union on Monday.
Speaking to journalists during an educational conference on Tuesday, Kaimenyi said adequate consultations were made and that a majority of the stakeholders wanted the regulations to be gazetted.
He indicated that according to the regulations, it is the Teachers Service Commission that has the mandate to hire head teachers and that his role is to purely hold them accountable.
He stressed that following investigations into an allegation, it is the prerogative of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to take any disciplinary action.
While conceding that the two unions disagreed with the rest of the stakeholders, he urged them to reconsider their stance as this would be for the benefit of all Kenyans.
He reiterated additional benefits of the regulations saying that they would improve the management of schools across the country.
On Monday, KUPPET vehemently opposed to the new regulations saying they give the Cabinet Secretary authority to hire and fire head teachers, a provision which was in contravention with the Constitution.

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