Story by Daniel Wabala
Bungoma — The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has launched a nationwide strike, with teachers across the country staying away from schools. In Bungoma, teachers took a bold stand by locking school gates with chains to enforce the strike.
Augustine Luketelo, KUPPET’s Secretary General in Bungoma, spearheaded the action. He urged parents to keep their children at home until the teachers’ demands are addressed. Luketelo criticized the government, asserting that teachers deserve better treatment and should not be treated as “slaves.”
“We are here at Bungoma High School, and it’s clear that no teachers are present. Teachers did not go through their education to be underpaid and mistreated,” Luketelo declared. “The government has ample resources, but it is mismanaged.”
Luketelo also warned parents against sending their children to school, stating that no teachers would be available to supervise them. “If parents send their children to school, they will find no one to take care of them. We are visiting other schools to ensure they are closed as well,” he added.
KUPPET vs. KNUT
In his remarks, Luketelo did not hold back in his criticism of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT). He accused KNUT of abandoning teachers and questioned the effectiveness of its agreements with the government.
“It is disheartening that KNUT officials seem detached from the reality of teachers’ struggles. They are enjoying their positions while teachers are left to suffer,” Luketelo said. “We question the validity of any agreements KNUT claims to have made with the government.”
As the strike continues, KUPPET’s actions in Bungoma reflect growing frustration within the teaching profession, highlighting issues of pay and working conditions that the union hopes will be addressed through this industrial action.
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