Teachers Threaten to Boycott Exams Supervision
Teachers Threaten to Boycott Exams Supervision
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has issued a severe warning that members may choose to boycott their obligations to invigilate, supervise, and mark national examinations, including the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The bad treatment and difficult working conditions their members have endured have prompted this prospective response.
As the dates for the national examinations draw closer, KUPPET has voiced worries about their members’ working conditions, hazardous workplaces, and inadequate and tardy pay. Before agreeing to offer their services, they have required an agreement with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to resolve these problems.
KUPPET leaders from many regions came together for an annual general meeting to talk about these issues. They drew attention to the fact that KUPPET and KNEC did not reach an agreement about the appointment and use of union members for the invigilation and marking of national exams.
During invigilation, teachers frequently put in lengthy hours that result in overtime work, but KNEC does not compensate them fairly for this extra work.KUPPET has expressed concerns about the rates of payment for marking papers, with variations based on the subject. Teachers find the discrepancies unjust. Additionally, the working conditions at exam marking centers have been criticized, with concerns about unhygienic dormitories and the risk of contracting infections.
KUPPET has urged its members not to report to the examination and marking centers until KNEC addresses these issues and seeks to improve working conditions and marking rates.
The union also opposes moves by the Ministry of Education to take over some of the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) responsibilities and works to preserve the TSC’s independence. In addition to reducing the number of junior school teachers assigned to primary schools, KUPPET aims to solve a number of issues facing the education system, including the pay disparity between classroom teachers and head teachers.KUPPET is taking a strong stand on a number of problems, such as working conditions, pay equity, and teacher deployment, and it is pushing its members to support these efforts through collective bargaining and other forms of action.
