Lecturers at public universities in Kenya have agreed to return to work on Monday, November 25, following an agreement reached between the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the government.
The resolution brings an end to weeks of disrupted learning across the country.
The agreement, signed with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), includes the implementation of the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), valued at Sh9.7 billion.
The funds will be disbursed in three phases: Sh4.3 billion covering nine months until June 2025, followed by two instalments of Sh2.7 billion each.
UASU Secretary-General Dr Constantine Wasonga confirmed the resolution of the strike, stating;
“The university academic staff is convinced that the government has acceded to what we wanted, I want to press upon lectures, but we should prepare to resume classes on Monday. We should also prepare to arrange with the university management and senate to cover the time lost so that the students can get a good education.”
The agreement includes salary adjustments, with research professors set to earn a maximum of Sh345,816 by 2024–2025, up from Sh283,087 in 2021–2022.
The lowest salary will rise to Sh63,647, compared to Sh57,729 during the same period. Backdated salary payments will begin in December 2024, along with arrears for October and November 2024.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba expressed the government’s commitment to fostering industrial harmony in the sector.
““We are committed to creating a stable environment for education by addressing the concerns of lecturers and ensuring that such disruptions do not happen again,” he stated.
The agreement also includes provisions for the next CBA (2025–2029), with negotiations starting by January 2025. Changes in retirement ages were also agreed upon, with academic staff able to work until 70 or 74 years depending on their role.
Eligible staff will also benefit from clearer promotion criteria and pension contributions as part of the deal.
