The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has extended a formal invitation to teachers’ unions to begin negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covering 2025 to 2029. The invitation, issued by Acting TSC CEO Eveleen Mitei, sets the stage for discussions aimed at revamping teachers’ terms and compensation.
Consultation Meeting Scheduled
In a letter dated June 24, Mitei urged the Kenya Union of Post‑Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) to join a consultative meeting on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM, at the Commission chairman’s boardroom in Nairobi.
This meeting is expected to chart the course for negotiations concerning salary, allowances, promotions, and broader welfare aspects.
Unions Raise the Pressure
The invitation follows growing impatience from teachers’ groups. KUPPET, among others, issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding TSC commence discussions or face a potential strike. KUPPET General Secretary Akelo Misori emphasised that their members are reaching a breaking point and that the upcoming CBA must include tangible relief.
Key Demands on the Table
Unions are advocating for comprehensive revisions to teachers’ remuneration and conditions. Negotiation priorities include:
- Doubling basic pay for lower grade staff; a 50 % increase for senior cadre.
- Substantial hikes in housing (20 %), hardship (100 %), and commuter allowances (250 %).
- Introduction of overtime compensation, risk, and hazard allowances.
- Revamped promotion criteria and career progression reforms.
These demands reflect a broader push to align teachers’ salaries with soaring living costs and to rectify stagnation in career advancement.
Peaceful Engagement Yet Tense Outlook
Misori responded positively to TSC’s invitation but underscored the need for serious and result‑driven negotiations. “We are ready to engage constructively but expect these talks to go beyond formality a meaningful package that reflects the realities of the current economy,” he commented.
KNUT is also expected to present detailed proposals aimed at significantly bettering working conditions and pay scales.
The last CBA covering 2021–2025 offered limited financial gains, focusing instead on perks like health cover and allowances, largely due to pandemic constraints. This time, however, teachers are seeking substantial financial gain.
The dialogue comes amid increasing concerns over teacher morale and the cost of living. With further negotiations looming in the public sector wage bill, outcomes here may influence compensation frameworks across the board.
The meeting, slated for early July, will mark the start of a critical negotiation phase. Success hinges on meaningful progress, or else both KUPPET and KNUT may move to industrial action—highlighting the stakes involved.
Stakeholders across Kenya’s educational landscape are watching closely, as the results taken from this negotiation could shape not only teacher welfare but also the quality of education delivered in classrooms nationwide.
