KUPPET Enhances its Leadership to Include Women and JSS Teachers

KUPPET Enhances its Leadership to Include Women and JSS Teachers

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has broadened its National Governing Council (NGC) to incorporate representatives for Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers, women, and individuals with disabilities.

In the new arrangement, JSS teachers will serve as Assistant National Secretaries, while women and persons with disabilities will fill the first, second, and third Assistant National Gender Secretary roles.

Furthermore, the updated NGC will now comprise 11 elected national officials and 16 women representatives from different counties.

KUPPET’s newly adopted constitution also outlines the responsibilities of the National Advisory Council (NAC), which will include elected national officials such as the National Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, National Treasurer, and key branch representatives from across the nation.

The NAC, chaired by the National Chairperson, will convene annually or as necessary to offer strategic direction to the NGC, implement union policies, and supervise financial and administrative issues.

A quorum for making decisions has been established at one-third of the council members.

According to KUPPET Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima, the expanded leadership structure is designed to promote inclusivity and effective governance.

“The election guidelines under the new Constitution will ensure that teachers from historically marginalized groups, including women, youth, and individuals with disabilities, can attain national leadership positions,” Nthurima stated.

The National Executive Board (NEB), made up of 14 elected national officials, will continue to oversee the union’s daily operations while ensuring regional and gender representation. It will also manage collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), financial oversight, and policy execution.

KUPPET has also restructured its governance at the regional and branch levels. Eight regional councils—Coast, North Eastern, Eastern, Central, Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza, and Nairobi—will meet biannually to discuss union and educational issues.

Each region will elect a steering committee and will handle finances through branch levies and grants.

At the county level, the Branch General Assembly (BGA) will operate under the NEB’s supervision. It will meet annually to elect branch leaders, approve financial reports, and manage local union activities.

The Branch Governing Council (BGC) and the Branch Executive Committee (BEC) will be responsible for discipline, financial management, and the implementation of union policies at the grassroots level.

To protect union assets and ensure accountability, KUPPET has increased the number of trustees from four to nine. These trustees will be elected every five years and will oversee property management, financial records, and leadership transitions.

Nthurima has said that the new structure aligns the union with national governance frameworks and enhances its ability to address teachers’ issues at regional and county levels.

“The new structure will cure representation gaps and align the union to the national government structures which have offices at the Regional level. The union’s county leaderships have had limited capacity to address regional teachers’ issues,” he stated.