KUPPET Threatens to Down Tools Over Pay.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has issued a statement indicating that they will down their tools during national examination invigilation, supervision, and marking due to the poor treatment and payment of their teachers.
The statement comes amid heightening levels of tension among candidates as national examination dates are fast approaching.
While speaking at the union general meeting for Kisii branch held in Mosocho, the union holds that teachers are exposed to poor and risky working environments and low payments by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC).
The union wants an agreement with KNEC on harmonizing issues of contention before teachers offer their services in exam administration.
The annual general meeting brought together the union’s members from three regions in the country including Nyanza, Rift Valley, and Western.
According to the union deputy secretary general Moses Nthurima, KUPPET has no memorandum of understanding with KNEC regarding the utilization of its members in national examination invigilation and marking.
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In most occasions when teachers are invigilating and supervising national examinations, they leave their homes early and return at dusk. However, regardless of this conditions, KNEC does not provide overtime remunerate the teachers an equivalent of the work done. In addition, the little payment delays until almost the next examination cycle.
Mr Nthurima also notes that KNEC pays teachers a meagre Sh100 for every paper they mark. He however notes that there is a variation depending on the subject.
KUPPET holds that KNEC should improve the working environment for teachers involved in national examination administration. According to Nthurima, examination marking centers are similar to concentration camps. Teachers are under strict guidelines not to use their communication devices.
Therefore, he urges teachers not to report to examination centers before KNEC addresses the issues raised.
KUPPET Threatens to Down Tools Over Pay.