THE GOVERNMENT HAS HALTED PERFORMANCE TEACHERS' CONTRACT AND APPRAISALS AFTER MEETING WITH THE UNION LEADERS

Teachers Service Commission has halted performance contract and appraisals as had been demanded by union leaders KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion had threatened to call a strike if their demands were not met by government Government has stopped its disputed teachers appraisal and planned performance contracting after a meeting with union officials. Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teachers union officials, on Monday, February 22, resolved to terminate the exercises in order to continue smoothly with their talks. “Performance contact and appraisals for teachers have been halted as reconciliation talks continue,” said KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion after the meeting. The meeting between TSC and the teachers was arranged by a labour ministry official – Hellen Apiyo – who had been appointed as the conciliator between the two wrangling parties. Teachers had threatened to go on strike if the government did not drop its directive to have them sign performance contracts. Sossion argued that the contracts would negatively affect the quality of education. “US and other developed countries tried to introduce these contracts but withdrew them after they found that it compromised quality of education being offered,” he said. Sossion added that instead of the contacts, the government should work to ensure quality education is being offered by providing necessary requirements. The performance contracts were introduced by TSC, and were to be signed by the teachers, in order to measure education quality and monitoring the education system. Teachers equally objected appraisal which was meant to increase performance, determine promotion and also salaries. They saw it as a government’s plot to disrupt and slow down their demand for better salaries, wages and benefits. Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had already awarded the teachers appraisal contract to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and was expected to end the task in June. The audit was to consider: academic qualifications; experience; responsibilities; influence on policy and strategy as part of the job evaluation parameters. TSC had indicated that it was only after the SRC process is complete that they could talks about teachers salary increment. The teachers went on a month-long strike in September 2015 demanding for the implementation of a 50-60% salary increment as had been ordered by a labour court in June that year. TSC later successfully appealed against the ruling.