The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has issued a seven-day strike notice, demanding the government release over Ksh39 billion owed in capitation and medical scheme remittances.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, March 14, KUPPET officials accused the government of failing to honor its financial obligations, warning that teachers across the country would down their tools if the funds were not disbursed within the stipulated timeframe.
According to the union, the government has violated court orders by failing to implement the return-to-work agreement signed in August 2024, which had been filed in court as a binding resolution.
KUPPET detailed that Ksh28 billion in school capitation and Ksh11 billion for teachers’ medical cover remain unpaid. While some funds were released in September, they argue that capitation has not been remitted for the past eight months.
The financial shortfall has forced schools to send students home, despite the government’s directive for institutions to retain learners. In January, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba assured that an additional Ksh14 billion would be disbursed to schools, with the remaining amount to follow in the coming weeks.
However, KUPPET claims that instead of the expected Ksh11,000 per student, the government has only provided Ksh4,000.
“A majority of students are at home. They were sent home after midterm to find school fees,” KUPPET stated, adding, “They were supposed to remit about Ksh11,000 per student, but instead, they remitted Ksh4,000.”
Last year, KUPPET staged a week-long nationwide strike starting August 26, advocating for the full implementation of the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), teacher promotions, and improved employment terms for junior secondary school educators.
The strike ended after negotiations between KUPPET and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), leading to a phased implementation of the CBA, salary adjustments effective July 1, 2024, and the restoration of funds for the teachers’ medical scheme. The agreement was formalized through the Employment and Labour Relations Court, making it legally binding.
As the new strike deadline looms, KUPPET insists that unless the government fulfills its financial commitments, teachers will have no choice but to take industrial action.
