A total of 39,550 junior secondary school (JSS) teachers who were confirmed to permanent and pensionable (pnp) positions in January 2025 have now been granted union membership.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has enrolled these teachers in the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) starting in February 2025.
The February payslips from TSC indicate that the teachers have had Kuppet union dues of sh. 890 deducted, confirming their membership.
The addition of these 39,550 JSS teachers is a significant boost for Kuppet, which has been facing a decline in membership.
However, the JSS teachers have been advocating for the establishment of their own union, the Kenya Junior School Teachers Association (KEJUSTA).
Yesterday, the union released a statement regarding an incident where Mr. Vincent Onyancha, a teacher from Nyamira, was assaulted by his headteacher in front of his students.
The teacher, who is currently recovering in a hospital in Ikonge, was reportedly attacked by the school principal for allegedly arriving late.
KEJUSTA is calling for an investigation into the incident and is demanding action against headteachers who mistreat JSS teachers.
Kuppet has supported the teachers during their internship period and has been advocating for their confirmation to pnp positions.
In August 2024, Kuppet joined the striking JSS intern teachers in protests, demanding their immediate confirmation.
Although the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has been trying to recruit these teachers, they have firmly rejected the offer, stating that they are not primary school teachers.
Kuppet is reorganizing to include JSS officials who will assist in addressing the challenges faced by their colleagues working in a primary school setting.
