The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was preparing to return to the Supreme Court for a review of the orders granting the award, while the union lawyers vowed to press contempt of court proceedings against TSC bosses for failing to effect the pay hike.

As the mind games raged on, it was a day of tension and anxiety for parents and their children, as they did not know whether learners should go to school or remain at home until the situation is resolved. Some parents had heeded the repeated warnings by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and kept their children at home as they awaited the outcome of the salary row.

Knut and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (Kuppet) that had called for a strike to coincide with schools' opening, yesterday declined to respond to the charge by TSC that they have not issued a strike notice as required by law before industrial action.

 TSC had claimed that the planned countrywide strike by an estimated 288,000 teachers was not legal, as they had not issued a strike notice as required by the labour-relations laws.

When contacted to clarify whether they have issued a strike notice or not, Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori declined to comment. Initially, Kuppet had indicated that it would issue a statement to react to TSC's claim on the strike notice but this did not materialise. "

We shall not comment on that issue until the ultimatum we have given to TSC to effect our salary increase has lapsed. After that, we shall communicate to our members and the public," he told CEOAFRICA source.

 Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion was not available to comment on the matter since his phone did not go through. The teachers interviewed said the unions have not withdrawn their call to members to stay away from school beginning today until their salary hike is effected.

 On Sunday, TSC Head of Communications Kihumba Kamotho insisted that the teachers cannot legally go on a strike since they had not issued a strike notice as required by labour-relations laws.