Photo: © Allan Gichigi/IRIN

Teachers have threatened to disrupt the opening of schools in September if their demands aren't met.

TEACHERS yesterday pushed for the 300 per cent salary increment.

Knut sought that the government reviews the entire education budget which currently stands at Sh233 billion. The teachers said government should include the figures presented to them during the budget making process by July 27, the end of the budget making process which they said is still ongoing. "The August payslips should reflect the increase failure to which teachers must prepare for a national strike," Knut deputy secretary general Xavier Nyamu said.

Nyamu said it is provocative for the government to increase civil servants salaries yet teachers have had gazetted agreement on allowances of 1997 pending to date. Knut chairman Wilson Sossion said a pay package boost to civil servants has caused a restive mood among teachers. Sossion said it was wrong for Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno to state that teachers' salary demands will be fulfilled in the next financial year.

Sossion said the industrial action would be real and asked members to get prepared. "Minister Otieno's remarks are meant to block teachers from getting their 300 per cent demand. We must get the percentage failure to which we shall strike," he said. The end of the budget making process on July 27 would leave schools remaining with one week before closing.

Although the union did not indicate when the strike would start, it is likely that re-opening of third term would be interrupted. In 1997, the union's demand for house allowances was 50 per cent, 20 for medical and 10 for commuter. If the percentage was paid in 1997, a P2 teacher (Job Group F) minimum salary would have increased from Sh13, 750 to Sh24, 750 including the allowances.

In the current 300 per cent demand a P2 teacher is supposed to get a minimum basic of Sh41, 250 but if the allowances are included he will earn Sh74, 250. A P1 teacher (Job Group G) minimum salary would have rose from Sh15, 093 to Sh27, 167 in 1997, while the current demand would see them earn Sh45, 279 with a total of Sh81, 502 with allowances included.

School principals at job group R were supposed to earn a minimum of Sh94, 947 in 1997, but if the allowances were included it summed to Sh169, 623. According to the current 300 per cent proposal, principals in job group R's should get a minimum of Sh282, 705 and rise to Sh508, 869 including the allowances. The maximum for a principal should be Sh649, 458.