The nationwide lecturer’s strike that has persisted for 40 days now has had parents and students incur unnecessary budgets. Education cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i has kept off the lecturer’s pay talks saying that his hands are tied by the law.
It has been 40 days of paralyzed learning activity in public universities across the country. The nationwide lecturer’s strike has caused adverse effects on students, who insist they are the most affected.
Classes in public universities have remained empty for close to five weeks now. Students might not be able to resume learning this semester as they are required to attend at least 75% of the semesters classes, and as it is now, they have already missed half the semesters lessons.
Businesses dependent on university student operations haven’t been spared either. Hotels and eateries have been forced to cut down on workforce due to low influx of customers, who in this case are majorly students.
Bodaboda operators have spent the better part of the month basking in the sun, owing to the large number of students who have opted to travel back home until the stalemate is addressed. Landlords are also counting losses, off-campus hostels have remained unoccupied since the semester started.
In a two-page letter to the university academic staff union (UASU), Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i insisted that it is unlawful for him to meddle in the talks saying that it is against the constitution. Early today morning, UASU officials while appearing before the senate on education, asked for the ministry of education to create a new budget and present it to the treasury and to enhance a 10 billion offer that has been a born of contention so as to reasonably accommodate for all academic staff members.