Teachers in West Pokot County have threatened to paralyze learning when schools reopen next week if the government will not honor their demands. They now want the government to immediately deal with their concerns or else them down their tools. They want to the government to address three major issues; Delocalization, Promotions and Teachers Performance and Appraisal Development (TPAD). This comes days after KNUT secretary general Wilson Sossion said teachers countrywide will go on strike on 2nd January citing the same grievances.
Speaking to press in his office,West Pokot KNUT executive secretary Martin Sembelo reiterated that teachers are ready for the strike. Sembelo noted that teachers have suffered for a long time and the government should brace for a battle. He said over forty thousand learners in the County will miss learning and six hundred schools will be affected when the strike takes effect. KNUT Chairperson in the County Mr. Joel Partich said that it’s hard for non local teachers to survive in the County.
He called on TSC to look into the delocalization policy to help improve effectiveness as it has affected education standards in the Country. Partich said that many teachers have failed to turn up in the several stations they’ve been posted due to the age factor while others have fallen sick. He said delocalization should only be done within Counties as it has endangered teachers’ lives.