Key Points:
– TSC to pay June salaries and clear pending bills for teachers
– Pending bills include arrears for teachers deployed to new cadres, hardship allowance arrears, and special school teachers’ arrears
– Hardship allowances to be scrapped for some regions
– Teachers’ unions threaten nationwide strike over stalled CBA talks
– 2025-2026 budget does not include provisions for improved teacher salaries
– KNUT demands 60% adjustment in basic salaries and 30% increase in allowances
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is expected to pay teachers’ June salaries and clear pending bills, bringing relief to many educators. The salaries will be paid early, following the reading of the national budget by Treasury CS John Mbadi on June 12. The financial year 2024-2025 is set to end on June 30, and June salaries are typically paid between June 18 and 22.
According to sources, the TSC will clear a number of pending bills, including arrears for teachers deployed to new cadres, hardship allowance arrears for teachers transferred to hardship regions, and arrears for special school teachers. However, some teachers will be affected by the planned scrapping of hardship allowances for certain regions, in line with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) advisory.
The TSC will also address concerns raised by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) regarding the exclusion of Mwala and Kalama Sub-counties from the list of hardship areas. The Public Petitions Committee of the National Assembly will meet with TSC officials to discuss the criteria used to designate hardship zones. KUPPET has argued that teachers in these sub-counties face similar challenges to those in neighboring zones that qualify for hardship allowances.
“We will meet TSC leadership and even the SRC to find out the criteria they use to categorize areas as hardship zones,” said Hon. Edith Nyenze, chairing the session. The petitioners noted that teachers in Mwala and Kalama Sub-counties are denied hardship allowances, despite being surrounded by regions that are already gazetted as hardship areas.
Meanwhile, teachers are still awaiting a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that would lead to salary increments. Talks on the CBA 2025-2029 have stalled, and teachers’ unions have threatened a nationwide strike. The current CBA expires on June 30, 2025, and without a new agreement, teachers will not receive a pay rise.
The 2025-2026 budget does not include provisions for improved teacher salaries, further complicating the negotiations. Teachers’ unions have demanded immediate negotiations, citing the TSC’s lack of engagement and failure to address their proposals. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) is seeking a 60% adjustment in basic salaries over four years, pegged on inflation, and a 30% increase in allowances.
“The commission is fully constituted, and what we now need is for the acting CEO, Evaleen Jesang Mitei, to initiate talks,” said Akelo Misori, Kuppet secretary-general. The unions have warned of disruptions to learning in public schools if their demands are not met.
The TSC and teachers’ unions must work together to resolve the CBA negotiations and address the concerns of teachers. A timely resolution is crucial to prevent disruptions to learning and ensure that teachers receive the compensation they deserve.
The government must also prioritize teacher welfare and provide adequate funding for salary increments and other benefits.
