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Effective from today, the Kenyan government has ordered the closure of all primary and secondary schools because of ongoing teachers’ strike that has affected public schools across the country. There has been a long-drawn-out wage dispute between the Kenyan government and teachers over the last 18 years, which has resulted in strike actions every year. The latest episode of strike action has been ongoing for over three weeks.
 
A circular by the ministry of education, which was issued on Friday, and followed by a statement from the Cabinet, directed all public and private primary and secondary schools to be closed from Monday. However, the directive does not affect teacher training colleges and technical training institutes. The injunction also does not affect students who are to sit for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in October. This group of students will remain in school and will be taught by teachers who are not taking part in the strike.

Acting Education Secretary, Leah Rotich, said in the circular: "The 2015 KCSE and KCPE examinations will continue as scheduled. This means all examination candidates in Standard Eight and Form Four will remain in school to do their revision and the said examinations."

The closure was partly necessitated by reports of insecurity in some schools. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta, directed boards of management of schools to carry over school fees paid by parents to the new term dates, which will be announced at a later date.

The statement by the Cabinet also said: “This matter cannot continue to disrupt the education of our children. Hard decisions must be made to bring it to an end, once and for all."

The Kenyan Supreme Court ruled in August that teachers should be given a 50-60% pay rise. However, the government has failed to honour the court ruling arguing that government finances cannot support the pay hike.

"Teachers had a very legitimate case when they asked for their pay to be harmonised with the rest of the civil servants, asking for more now will mean the other civil servants will have a similar case and we will have a completely unsustainable wage bill," the Kenyan President said.

On their part, the teachers have vowed not to return to work until the court ruling is honoured by the government.