Fresh Education Crisis as University Lecturers Begin Nationwide Strike
Teaching & learning activities in Kenyan public universities are going to get disrupted, big time, as the nationwide strike by the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU), the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospitals Allied (KUDHEIHA) workers is due to kick in at the stroke of midnight.
The whole thing started after talks between the three unions and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) fell apart late on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
University staff have given the thumbs down to a proposed 4% pay rise that IPUCCF came up with – they think it’s just not enough, and are now calling for the immediate implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) instead.
University Lecturers Have Had Enough of 4% Pay Rise
The unions reckon that the 4% annual salary increase the government has put on the table just isn’t going to cut it when it comes to addressing the issues they’re fighting for under the 2025–2029 CBA.
And so it looks like a full-blown work stoppage is looming, one that could throw lectures, exams, and all sorts of other academic activities into chaos – all because of this disagreement between the unions and IPUCCF.
Why the University Lecturers Have Gone on Strike
The unions say that the strike has come about because the university councils, the Ministry of Education, and the National Treasury just haven’t been honouring their end of the bargain – specifically the Return-to-Work Formula, which they signed on November 5, 2025.
All this is about old disputes that have still not been sorted out – agreements that were reached between the government and university workers after previous negotiations just haven’t been put into action.
So with the latest round of talks coming to nothing, UASU, KUSU and KUDHEIHA have decided to go out on strike.
Chaos Looms for Public Universities
And now the public universities across Kenya are bracing themselves for a potential mess as the strike takes hold.
Students are likely to end up having their lectures and other academic programmes disrupted, as university staff pull their services.
Of course, just how bad the situation gets will depend on how long the strike lasts – and whether the unions and government negotiators manage to get back round the table and hammer out a deal.
KUTVET Calls Off Strike For 14 Days to Give Govt More Time
Meantime, the Kenya Union of Technical and Vocational Education Trainers, KUTVET, has put their planned strike on hold for 14 days to give the Ministry of Education a second chance to sort out their differences.
The union has agreed to give the Govt. a bit more time before taking things to the next level, which would be even more disruptive.
KUTVET’s concerns centre on several issues affecting trainers and the way things are run at technical and vocational education and training institutions.
KUTVET Unhappy About the TVET Curriculum Review
A few of the key issues on KUTVET’s list of grievances include a really rushed review of the TVET curriculum – a process they claim is being done in a rush.
KUTVET is also really worried about the way national exams in TVET institutions are being handled by the TVET Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC). They think things are being handled pretty recklessly.
Other complaints from the union include trainers being transferred or promoted without much warning, and a demand for better medical coverage for those working in the sector.
KUTVET Gives Govt. an October 19th Ultimatum
KUTVET is not messing around – they’re calling on the Govt. to sort out these issues pronto.
If they don’t, the union says their members will be walking off the job come October 19th 2026.
That 14 day break therefore gives the Ministry of Education and KUTVET a bit of breathing room to try and hammer out a deal that averts another strike in the education sector.
For now, though, the focus is firmly on the university sector, where UASU, KUSU and KUDHEIHA are in the midst of a nationwide walkout over pay and the rollout of the 2025 – 2029 CBA.
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Fresh Education Crisis as University Lecturers Begin Nationwide Strike
