KUPPET Kwale Calls for Junior School Autonomy, More Teachers and Hardship Allowances
By Caroline Katana
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in Kwale County has called for independent administration of junior schools, more teachers and expanded hardship allowances to improve education standards and teachers’ welfare.
The demands were raised during a thanksgiving ceremony for the 14 officials elected on January 24 this year and fundraising held at Mvindeni Social Hall, graced by Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Salim Mvurya.
The event attracted teachers and friends of the union from different counties.
KUPPET Kwale Executive Secretary Julius Mvurya said junior schools needed independent management to address challenges in planning, resource allocation and co-curricular activities.
“Junior school needs its own administrator, its own administration system and its own planning so that teachers and learners can benefit from government facilitation,” he said.
Mvurya clarified that autonomy did not mean separating junior schools from primary schools.
Instead, it would give Grades Seven, Eight and Nine independent management to address their specific needs.
He also raised concern over teacher shortages, saying Kwale has 425 junior schools, some with only two teachers handling 12 subjects.
The shortage has forced teachers to teach subjects outside their areas of specialisation, potentially affecting the quality of learning.
"When a teacher who specialised in mathematics is assigned Kiswahili, or a teacher trained in another subject is asked to teach mathematics, we compromise the quality of education. We want teachers to teach subjects they trained for,” he said, urging the government to recruit more teachers.
The union wants hardship allowances extended to more areas, including Lunga Lunga, parts of Matuga and Msambweni.
Mvurya said teachers faced high transport costs, poor roads and expensive housing, yet only Samburu and Kinango sub-counties currently receive hardship allowances.
“The whole of Kwale County deserves consideration for hardship status,” he said.
He noted that government-appointed experts to assess working conditions in Lunga Lunga, including Bidinimole and Mtsunga, more than two years ago, but teachers were still waiting for a decision upto date .
Mvurya acknowledged Lunga Lunga MP Mangale Chiforomodo’s efforts to push for the hardship allowance and urged other lawmakers to support the initiative.
He said some teachers travelling from Mwagwasheni and Mangawani in Matuga spent up to Sh1,500 on transport because of poor roads and long distances.
In Ukunda, high rents have forced some teachers to live in Kombani or across the Likoni Channel, increasing their commuting costs.
“We appreciate Lunga Lunga MP Mangale Chiforomodo for pushing this matter, but he needs support from other MPs. Kwale deserves serious consideration for hardship allowances,” Mvurya said.
At the sametime Mvurya also criticised the payment rates and working arrangements for teachers involved in national examination supervision and marking.
He said weekly transfer of teachers between examination centres increase their transport expenses and could leave them spending more than they earn.
“A teacher may supervise examinations at Mvindeni and then be transferred to Baabla Diani or Ramisi. The transport costs keep increasing, and by the end of the exercise, the teacher may have made a loss,” he said.
The union wants teachers to be assigned to examination centres in ways that minimise unnecessary travel.
Mvurya further complained about delays in paying teachers for examination marking, saying some waited for months to receive their dues.
He cited a case of a Kwale teacher who died after participating in examination marking the previous year without receiving payment before his death.
“The teacher completed the work, but the money came much later. We want teachers to be paid immediately after completing marking or supervision,” he said.
Mvurya also called for higher marking rates, questioning the reported payment of Sh42 per paper .
He said the union had sought to engage the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) over the rates and working conditions, including accommodation for teachers during marking.
“After working for weeks, a teacher may earn only Sh14,000 or Sh25,000, depending on the assignment. We consider these rates too low for the work involved,” he said.
He also questioned arrangements that required teachers to sleep in students’ beds during marking, describing the practice as disrespectful to the profession.
Mvurya said KUPPET had asked its members not to participate in the marking exercise this year as the union sought discussions with the examinations council over better pay and working conditions.
The event also raised funds for four projects for the union including acquiring a union bus, purchasing land for offices, and buying tents and plastic chairs.
He said the projects would strengthen KUPPET’s operations and improve its ability to serve teachers across Kwale County.
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