Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has issued demands to teachers’ employer Teachers Service Commission (TSC) that should be met withing 22 days to avoid disruption of school programs come January.

On Monday, Knut demanded the end of centralised procurement of course books, a stop to teachers delocalisation and for headteachers to be allowed to join the union.

It called for the suspension of the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) launched in 2017.

The union also wants teachers who work extra hours to be paid overtime allowance.

Speaking in Mombasa, the union’s top leadership said the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and Ministry of Education should resolve their grievances before Christmas.

The officials said the State had failed to implement plans that would facilitate seamless rollout of the Competence Based Curriculum.

“TSC should hold a meeting with teachers’ representative before Christmas to avoid disruption of school programmes in January,” said Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion.

Nemis, a web-based system that captures the details of students, teaching and non-teaching staff, aims to address issues of transparency and accountability in funding of schools.

Headteachers meeting in Mombasa said the system was being exploited by bureaucrats out to frustrate teachers by delaying the disbursement of the capitation grants.