Kenyan minister pleads with teachers to suspend strike

Kenya's education minister has asked teachers to suspend a planned teachers' strike ahead of national examinations.

Minister George Magoha encouraged the government commission that hires teachers to engage them in discussions to avert the strike.

The national union issued a strike notice after pay talks with the government failed.

The education minister said children belonged to everyone, including the teachers, and that they "shouldn't be like chess pieces to be played with".

"If they like, they can issue it [strike notice] immediately after the exams, it will be fair game for the children," he said.

The national examinations for primary and secondary students are scheduled to begin next month to mark the end of the 2021 education calendar that started late because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: BBC