Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi recently acknowledged that the Kenyan exchequer lacks the financial capacity to hire 20,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Responding to host Sam Gituku's inquiry about the government's efforts to address teachers' grievances, Mbadi disclosed a Ksh.13 billion shortfall, which, as initially estimated, is hindering the recruitment of additional JSS teachers.
He explained that the government has no available funds for converting temporary positions to permanent ones unless budget adjustments are made, which are currently unfeasible due to financial constraints.
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This revelation comes amid increasing tensions with teachers' unions, particularly the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET), who announced a nationwide strike on Monday, August 26, 2024.
The unions decided to proceed with the strike after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) failed to address critical grievances during a July 16, 2024, meeting. Key issues raised by the unions include the immediate hiring of 20,000 new JSS teachers, prompt remittance of third-party deductions, and the commencement of discussions for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos also contributed to the ongoing crisis by admitting that his Ministry faces significant funding shortages, preventing the full implementation of phase 2 of the 2021-2025 CBA.
His remarks contradicted TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, who assured that Ksh.13 billion had been allocated for the CBA's implementation. Macharia urged teachers to report to school on Monday for the start of the third term, asserting that funds had been released and grievances addressed.
