Learning in public schools across Kenya could be disrupted as teachers threaten a nationwide strike over a government proposal to scrap the hardship allowance. The move has sparked strong opposition from teachers’ unions, who say the decision would severely impact educators working in challenging environments.
1Speaking during a meeting in Kajiado, officials from the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Kajiado branch warned that industrial action is on the table if the government does not reconsider the proposal.“This allowance is not a privilege, it is a necessity for teachers working in remote and harsh regions,” said a union official. “If the government insists on removing it, then it must provide a fair alternative such as an accommodation allowance, just like what teachers in Nairobi receive.”
The unions argue that the hardship allowance is essential in compensating teachers for the difficult conditions they face in arid, semi-arid, and insecurity-prone areas, where access to basic services remains a challenge.
With schools already grappling with congestion, inadequate infrastructure, and staffing shortages, a strike could further strain the public education system.The unions are urging the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission to open dialogue and avert what could be a major disruption to learning nationwide.
