Photo: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Teachers say they will remain on strike until government gives them a salary increase.

Boarding secondary schools management in Kericho County have sent students home who reported to their respective schools in the beginning of this term until the on going teachers strike is called off.

Save for Form Four students who are learning on their own, the rest of the sudents have been ordered to go home indefinitely.

Litein High School in Bureti district was the first to send students home after they were so ordered by the school management over the on going strike that enters it third week today.

Kericho High school sent the students home last Friday and told them that was part of their half term, but those who spoke to the media on condition of anonymity said the were sent home over the strike.

"All half terms come at the middle of the each term but for this case in has come slightly early than usual,we just opened the school the other day,a month is yet to to elapse to justify any good reason as to why we should be sent home for half term" a student said.

The students said it only form fours who had been told to remain behind but even though none of teachers are assisting them to revise as they prepare to sit for this years Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.

A survey conducted revealed that most private Primary and Secondary schools were continuing with their studies despite fear of being punished by striking teachers in public for not joining them in the strike.

Those in such private schools fear losing their jobs since they are not in Teachers Service Commission pay roll and participating in the strike on the basis of solidarity of those striking would be counterproductive on their part.

Kericho district Knut branch secretary Stanley Mutai had suggested that both Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and KCSE called off until when the striking teachers are rewarded by the government the 300 per cent salary increment they are demanding.

He said candidates preparing for the national exams are already affected and may not be prepared for the exams since no teachers are committed to help them go through revisions.

Mutai said the government should not take the strike for granted and the only way it would help the standard eight pupils and their form four counterparts was to release the 300 per cent pay rise so that teachers could go back to classrooms and start teaching.

"Teachers are determined and are not ready to go back to classrooms until their demands are met," said Mutai.