Teachers are expected to start receiving their July salaries by the end of this week, following adjustments by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to factor in increments from the newly signed 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
According to internal sources at the Commission, payments will be completed by Saturday, with the payroll for July already finalized—an indication that all backend payroll operations have been concluded.
The salary changes stem from a deal signed on 18th July with the three major teacher unions: KNUT, KUPPET, and KUSNET. Immediately after the signing, TSC integrated the new terms into the payroll system to ensure that teachers begin receiving benefits from the new agreement.
TSC Chairperson Jamleck Muturi acknowledged the collaborative efforts in reaching the agreement, stating that more than 400,000 teachers would benefit from the newly signed CBA.
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Among the changes is a progressive basic salary increment for teachers in different grades. The lowest-paid teacher, in Grade B5, will receive a total increase of Ksh 7,313 spread over four years—moving their basic salary from Ksh 23,830 to Ksh 28,620. Other salary scales will also enjoy moderate increases in Phase 1 of implementation, starting July 2025, with increases ranging between Ksh 589 and Ksh 1,868 depending on grade.
Despite the salary adjustments, several deductions such as Pay As You Earn (PAYE), union dues, and the Housing Levy are set to rise proportionately. However, TSC has not revised other allowances as requested by the unions, citing a planned review of the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) scheduled for June 2026.
Only the baggage allowance has been revised upward. This allowance is paid to teachers on transfer to help cover the transport of personal effects. For example, suppose a teacher is transferred from Nairobi to Busia. In that case, they can apply for the baggage allowance, which is calculated based on distance using Ministry of Transport rates, ranging from Ksh 43 to Ksh 80 per kilometre depending on their job group.
Other existing allowances, such as commuter, hardship, housing, disability, and leave allowances, remain unchanged for now.
The Commission acknowledged the support of President William Ruto. It announced several additional commitments to be included in the upcoming 2025/2026 Financial Year budget. These include the recruitment of more teachers at a cost of Ksh 2.4 billion, promotions across all job groups totalling Ksh 1 billion, and the retooling of senior school teachers at a cost of Ksh 950 million.
Overall, the new CBA is expected to cost the government Ksh 33.75 billion over four years. In the first year of implementation, Ksh 8.4 billion will be allocated to salaries and allowances, with over Ksh 1.2 billion covering employer contributions to pensions and statutory deductions.
By Joseph Mambili
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