KNUT Calls for Legal Reforms to Protect Teachers’ Benefits Following Dismissal
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) is advocating for a significant policy change that would safeguard teachers’ benefits even in instances of dismissal related to disciplinary matters.
While addressing a teachers’ engagement forum in Kilifi County, KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu characterized the current system as inequitable and discriminatory, asserting that a teacher’s eligibility for benefits should not be contingent upon their conduct.
The union’s proposal aims to amend the legislation to mandate that the government and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) honor all accrued benefits, irrespective of the circumstances surrounding an educator’s departure from the profession.
“Our proposal as a union is that when a dismissal occurs for any reason, a teacher’s conduct should not influence their benefits. Compensation should be provided for the duration of employment,” Oyuu articulated.
According to KNUT, the existing policy disproportionately affects teachers who may have dedicated many years to their vocation but forfeit all retirement benefits due to disciplinary violations, some of which the union contends may be minor or subjectively assessed.
Oyuu further reiterated that while accountability is essential, financial entitlements ought to be determined by the service rendered, rather than personal behavior.
The union’s advocacy emerges alongside a more extensive campaign to reform the treatment of teachers by the TSC, with KNUT also recently criticizing the recruitment processes and disciplinary proceedings, which they assert lack openness and fairness.
Teachers at the Kilifi forum resonated with these views, recounting personal experiences of colleagues who lost their livelihoods and savings due to what they perceived as unjust dismissals.
The proposal is anticipated to ignite discussion within both the education sector and government, particularly regarding the necessity to reconcile employee rights with professional standards and ethical expectations.
Nevertheless, KNUT maintains that the financial stability of educators must not be jeopardized, particularly in a sector that already encounters morale challenges due to overwhelming workloads and restricted career advancement.
The TSC has not yet released an official statement; however, insiders indicate that the commission may resist such a sweeping policy alteration, contending that disciplinary actions must carry significance to preserve professional integrity within the teaching service.
As KNUT prepares to officially present its proposal, it remains uncertain how Parliament and the Ministry of Education will react to what could emerge as a crucial labor rights issue within Kenya’s educational framework.