Pressure is mounting on the government to resolve a growing list of concerns raised by teachers, with Kuppet demanding action on promotions, salaries, career progression, medical services and funding for public schools.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers has placed the issues before the Ministry of Education during talks with Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba in Nairobi, seeking solutions to matters that have remained unresolved.
The Thursday meeting brought together Ogamba and Kuppet officials led by secretary general Akelo Misori as the government seeks to maintain good relations with teachers and prevent the disagreements from turning into industrial action.
Among the main issues raised by the union is the slow pace of teacher promotions.
Kuppet says the government had promised to promote 50,000 teachers but has so far addressed only about 34,000 positions. The union says this has left 16,000 qualified teachers in their existing job groups despite being eligible for advancement.
The union is also calling for action on the proposed 2026 Career Progression Guidelines, which it says have faced delays in approval and budgeting by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
The proposed guidelines are meant to give teachers faster ways to move into senior positions while allowing them to continue teaching in classrooms.
Pay remains another major concern for Kuppet.
The union wants the government to reopen and review its 2025–2029 collective bargaining agreement, saying salary increases given to other public servants have created wider differences between teachers and employees in similar job groups.
Kuppet has also criticised recent salary reviews, arguing that the increases do not adequately respond to the rising cost of living.
The union has at the same time raised concerns about the state of funding in public schools, warning that schools are struggling to cover basic expenses because of inadequate capitation.
The statutory annual allocation is Sh22,244 for each learner. However, schools have received about Sh16,000 when the latest Sh18.5 billion released for the third term is taken into account.
Kuppet says the funding gap is affecting schools’ ability to pay for basic needs such as food, electricity, water and learning materials, particularly during the examination term.
The union has also turned its attention to the Kenya National Examinations Council, accusing it of unfair labour practices.
Kuppet is calling for clear contracts and improved pay for teachers and other workers engaged in examination duties. It also wants all outstanding payments settled before teachers participate in the 2026 national examinations.
Medical services provided through the Social Health Authority have added to the list of concerns.
According to the union, teachers have reported problems accessing healthcare through the SHA system, including delays in getting authorisations and limits on some important medical services.
Kuppet wants the Education Ministry to step in and address the difficulties reported by teachers.
The talks between Ogamba and the union leadership come as the government faces pressure to settle the outstanding matters before they lead to a wider dispute with teachers.
The timing has also raised concern because schools are now in the final term, when preparations for national examinations and assessments are taking place. Any industrial action by teachers could interfere with learning and preparations for the examinations.
The Education Ministry said the meeting was focused on teacher welfare and efforts to improve access to quality basic education.
The ministry said it would continue working with teachers’ unions to protect teachers’ welfare and maintain industrial harmony, with the discussions pointing to dialogue as the preferred way of dealing with the concerns rather than confrontation.