The National Chairman of the Special Schools Heads Association of Kenya (SSHAK), Aggrey Waliaro, has called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to ensure all teachers handling learners with special needs receive a monthly allowance, regardless of where they are deployed.
Waliaro said teachers trained in Special Needs Education (SNE) but deployed to regular schools are not entitled to the allowances available to those working in designated special schools, despite providing specialised support to learners with disabilities.
His appeal comes as President William Ruto indicated during World Teachers’ Day celebrations that the forthcoming Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) will include an adjustment of the special allowance for SNE teachers from Sh10,000 to Sh15,000 per month. The guidelines are expected to be released within two weeks.
Speaking during the 2026 Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) Conference, Waliaro urged the commission to review its policies to ensure teachers providing special needs education in both regular and special schools are recognised and compensated.
He noted that many learners with disabilities, including those with less visible disabilities, as well as gifted and talented learners, attend regular schools and require specialised teaching approaches.
Waliaro argued that every school should have trained SNE teachers to ensure learners receive appropriate support without requiring the teachers to transfer to specialised institutions to qualify for the allowance.
“We want a change of policy to give an allowance of Sh10,000 to these teachers who have been trained in special needs. The teachers do not have to be transferred every time to special needs schools. They should be recognised in regular schools and paid wherever they are,” he said.
He called for the deployment of SNE-trained teachers to regular schools to be accompanied by financial recognition, noting that their specialised skills remain valuable wherever they work.
Under the current arrangements, teachers seeking the additional allowance are required to apply formally for redeployment to a designated special school or special education unit.
Schools need training on assistive devices
The SSHAK chairman also urged the government to train teachers and school heads on how to use assistive devices distributed to learning institutions to support learners with disabilities.
He said some schools receive equipment without adequate guidance on its operation, limiting its usefulness to learners who depend on it.
“Sometimes teachers open the devices and find that they do not know how to use them. We want the devices to be brought to the county and sub-county levels, where teachers can receive training together on how to use them,” he said.
Waliaro proposed regular training programmes at county and sub-county levels to equip teachers with the skills needed to operate and maintain the equipment.
He further called for stronger monitoring systems to establish whether the devices are being used effectively and to ensure faulty equipment is repaired rather than discarded.
According to him, a shortage of technicians trained to maintain specialised equipment has resulted in some devices becoming unusable, denying learners the support they need.
“You find that a wheelchair has a problem with its wheel and is thrown away because we do not have someone to repair it,” he said.
He proposed short technical courses to train personnel to repair and maintain assistive devices in schools, saying this would reduce wastage and extend the lifespan of the equipment.
TSC outlines teacher training and career progression plans
Meanwhile, TSC acting Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei said the commission provides study leave with pay to enable teachers to pursue further training in special needs education at KISE.
She said the initiative was intended to strengthen teachers' capacity to deliver the curriculum effectively and ensure continuity in specialised education services.
“The educators are not only teaching subjects, they are restoring dignity, transforming lives and shaping futures. We recognise you and will continue investing in you,” she said.
Mitei emphasised that the commission was committed to ensuring teachers have the competencies, professional support and practical tools needed to serve learners effectively.
She also said TSC had recognised the specialised responsibilities of trainers in special needs education by developing a separate career progression structure for them.
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Special Schools Heads Association of Kenya (SSHAK) National Chairman Aggrey Waliaro addresses participants during the 2026 Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) Conference, where he calls for special needs education allowances to be extended to qualified teachers serving in regular schools.
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