The national lecturers’ strike has paralyzed learning across all 35 public universities and two constituent colleges for 23 days since it started.
This has literally affected planned end of semester exams for the students and general transition.
The students are crying foul and calling on the parties concerned to urgently agree the way forward for them to recover lost time.
Despite the government agreeing to release Sh4.3 billion, which was initially accepted by lecturers, the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga quickly changed position.
Wasonga says the strike will only end when the government explains how the remaining Sh5.4 billion, as outlined in the return-to-work formula, will be paid.
However, efforts to resolve the impasse seemed to bear fruit on Thursday morning after UASU officials met with the National Assembly’s Education Committee, following the government’s agreement to allocate Ksh.4.3 billion in an attempt to break the deadlock.
“We will disburse the Sh4.3 billion, and later send the rest,” said State Department for Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala.
In his response, Wesonga said, “We have agreed to take Sh4.3 billion. What of the balance?”
However, the end of the stalemate lasted only a few minutes after the union changed its stance, maintaining that the nationwide strike would continue until the government clears the air on how the remaining Sh5.4 billion required to fully implement the return-to-work formula, which totals Sh9.7 billion, would be paid.
“The government must commit to paying the balance. Until then, the strike continues,” Wesonga said.
Frustration among students and parents is growing as they urge both sides to resolve their differences and end the strike.
“We just want to go back to class. This has gone on for too long,” said a University student.
Pressure is mounting on both the government and UASU to find a lasting solution, even as the inter-ministerial committee meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon failed to take off.
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