The standoff between teachers and their employer TSC has yet again been ignited in Borabu constituency with the leading aspiring MP challenging TSC to increase the pay given the deplorable conditions teachers operate on.
Speaking on Thursday at Mwongori secondary school during an impromptu visit, Dr Nyandoro Kambi also urged teachers to promise in return to sign performance contracts which the government is championing as a way of showing commitment in their profession.
He urged the government to be proactive to prevent scenarios of teachers going on strike when they are dearly needed by learners.
“I am really disturbed that TSC isn’t willing to solve the pay hike of teachers crisis once and for all. I think the government is able to give teachers more than what they are getting, given massive wastage we see in government departments like entertainment, and unnecessary board meetings. However, teachers should also be ready to sign a performance contract in return,” he said.
Nyandoro said the court system was likely not able to give a lasting solution to the stalemate that has been going on for many years.
“We saw them in court battles and it was evident that the court isn’t likely to solve this matter once and for all. We want to avoid the scenarios of our children being subjected to unnecessary torture when the two sides fail to agree. The government has no option than to pay the teachers and teachers also have to sign the performance contracts to improve the quality of education,” he added.
He urged education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to mediate so that the teacher’s unions withdraw a case from Supreme Court for out of court settlement.