The National Assembly Education committee has appealed for patience from teachers as the government works on the last phase of the Collective Bargaining agreement(CBA).

Chairperson Julius Melly says the government has honored phase 1 and 2 of the CBA and was keen on implementing the remaining phase.

Speaking at a meeting in his Tinderet constituency, he promised to pursue the matter so as to ensure no industrial dispute takes place.

“I want to assure you that there is light at the end of the tunnel. The government appended its signature on the document and there is no way it can refuse to honor it,” he noted.

According to him, having a strike at the moment would disadvantage candidates preparing for exams, hence it was necessary to avoid such.

Melly hinted that the committee has held talks with all the relevant authorities concerning the CBA signed in 2021, adding that a signed CBA is irreversible.

“We have held talks with Treasury and the Teachers Service Commission concerning the matter. An industrial action at such a time would disadvantage our students preparing for examinations and as a committee we want to avoid this,” added Melly.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers Deputy Secretary Hesbon Otieno, while speaking at the function, maintained that the only way to avert the looming strike is by implementing the last phase CBA before schools reopen on 26th this month.

The government requires sh 9.6 billion to implement the phase, which teachers unions say had been set aside before the Finance Bill was rejected.