As of this academic year, Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers are expected to join the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut).
This follows the Teachers Service Commission issuing a new directive on the subject.
According to the TSC, starting today, all teachers who work in institutions classified as junior secondary schools must be members of KNUT.
There are rumours that the labour conflicts that these instructors were involved in have been settled.
It is crucial to note that KNUT is a union that has traditionally represented primary school teachers.
On the other hand, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, or Kuppet for short, is another educational association that represents teachers in secondary schools and other settings.
Teachers in junior secondary schools will pay the same monthly dues and contribute 2% of their base salary to the Knut union as their predecessors in primary schools.
The month of April provided pay for a large number of instructors who worked in junior secondary schools.
Vision, Mission & Core Values
The KNUT is a trade union registered under the trade unions act Cap 233 of the laws of Kenya. Its mandate is both of a trade union and professional organization that serves all Kenyan teachers who choose to join and as such, we recognize the need to anchor our operations on certain key principles and values. Further, the implementation of this strategic plan will be guided by our vision, mission values and core functions as outlined here below.
Our Vision
To become the most effective and self-reliant teacher unions in the world.
Mission
To unite teachers of all grades for quality service, socio-economic improvement and professional advancement and strengthen their bargaining power, and promote quality education.
Our Core Values
o Integrity: We are committed to honesty, accountability and transparency in all our undertakings.
o Equity: We are committed to gender equity, social justice and unity of teachers of all grades and qualifications
o Teamwork: We embrace teamwork and are committed to participatory decision making.
o Continuous Improvement: We are committed to the continuous improvement of the terms and conditions of service for all teachers.
o Professional interest: We shall endeavour to promote the educational development of the teaching profession.
o Efficiency: we strive to achieve the highest value of benefits for all our members.
o Courage and Bravery: we shall tirelessly and bravely continue to fight for the rights of our members.
Core Functions
• To bring together and unite teachers of all grades and qualifications in Kenya and providing a forum for co-operation.
• To fight for improved terms and conditions of service for teachers and protecting teachers interests.
• Promoting programmes aimed at improving teachers’ welfare or socio-economic status.
• To offer assistance to individual members in professional as well as legal matters.
• To settle disputes between members of the union or between its members and their employers through collective and constitutional means.
• To co-operate with other societies, bodies, unions or organisations within or outside Kenya with similar objectives.
• To promote matters leading to the improvement of education and the establishment of a common system of education.
• To secure effective representation of the teaching profession on the government, public and private bodies or organisations where such representation may be necessary.
