World Teachers’ Day: Babu Owino slams Ruto over Ksh10K State House payout
By Aloys Michael, October 5, 2025Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has scoffed at President William Ruto over what he described as blatant discrimination against teachers, following a move to reward only 10,000 teachers with a Ksh10,000 stipend for attending a function at State House.
Speaking on Sunday, October 5, 2025, during World Teachers’ Day celebrations, condemned the gesture as an insult to a large number of teachers in the country who were left out of the payout.
“Mr. President, if you are genuine about teachers, the teachers who never received their Ksh10,000, send them M-Pesa today. You have their numbers. Visit TSC, get their contacts, and reimburse every one of them,” he demanded.
“That is how much teachers are disrespected in this country, through discrimination. Who told you the ones who visited the State House are better than those who didn’t? All of them received the same training.”
His remarks come at a time when lecturers are on strike over the failure by the government to materialise the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The legislator expressed solidarity with educators across the country, particularly those currently participating in a nationwide lecturers’ strike.
Additionally, he warned that such selective recognition was eroding morale within the profession and fuelling deeper resentment among educators.
“Teachers have been used, misused, and abused. They are the least earning civil servants in this country, yet they are the ones training other professions,” he said.
At the same time, Owino slammed the government’s handling of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), calling it chaotic and unjust to both teachers and learners.
“Our children are being used as control experiments. Grade 7, 8, 9, at least 3 million learners are going to disappear,” he warned.
“How do you explain that a teacher trained in two subjects is now being forced to deliver 40 lessons with only 5 to 7 learning materials?” he posed.
He also decried the repression of dissent, stating that those who speak out against the government’s failures in education are often harassed or intimidated.
“When you talk to the government, they abduct you. When you talk to the government, they arrest you. When you speak the truth, they kill you. Then they say you’re inciting,” he said.
Jobless graduates, frustrated professionals
He further highlighted the plight of unemployed teachers, some of whom graduated over two decades ago but have never been absorbed into the system.
“A teacher is retiring before being employed. Is that fair? But when we speak about it, it is bad,” he lamented.
He called for the autonomy of junior secondary school teachers, arguing that they deserve the same respect and institutional independence as their primary and secondary school counterparts.
“Respect them. They want independence, not dependence. Let them have their administrative structures,” he urged.
The MP warned that continued disregard for teachers and the sector would jeopardise the country’s future.
“There is education in every industry, health, manufacturing, construction, and even in agriculture. Education contributes directly and indirectly to every aspect of our economy,” he said.