KUPPET National Chairman Omboko Milemba said teachers should be trusted to make responsible decisions when using online platforms instead of being subjected to excessive restrictions.
Speaking in Kakamega on Saturday during the union’s Western Region elections, Mr Milemba said professional conduct should remain the guiding principle for teachers both at school and away from the classroom.
“There is no need for unnecessary censorship. Even Artificial Intelligence can be responsibly embraced,” Milemba said.
His comments come after the TSC raised concerns over teachers’ activities on social media, warning that certain online conduct could interfere with their professional responsibilities or damage the image of the teaching profession.
Milemba said teachers were capable of exercising sound judgement and should not be subjected to what he termed micromanagement.
The KUPPET chairman was also impressed by the manner in which the Western Region elections were conducted, describing the exercise as peaceful and democratic.
“I witnessed KUPPET Western Region elections in Kakamega, where members engaged in a peaceful and democratic election,” he said.
He urged the newly elected regional officials to work closely with other branches of the union and stakeholders in the education sector to address challenges affecting teachers.
Mr Milemba singled out the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), saying closer cooperation with school heads would help improve service delivery and address concerns affecting educators.
The union leadership will also continue pursuing what it considers key employment issues, including equitable recruitment and deployment of teachers across the country.
A major focus, he said, would be the proper inclusion and deployment of Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers as the education system continues to change.
KUPPET is further pushing for the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), including payments that remain outstanding. Mr Milemba said the union expected the commitments made by the President on settling the payments in two phases to be honoured.
The union's concerns also extend to differences in teachers' salaries and other payments. Mr Milemba said the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had invited KUPPET for talks on the matter.
He said the union had prepared a petition to present to the commission as it seeks to address the concerns raised by its members.
The latest disagreement over social media guidelines adds to the broader debate on how teachers' professional responsibilities should be balanced with their rights and activities outside the classroom.
By Jonathan Mwinzi
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