A wave of discontent is sweeping through the nation’s educational sector as teachers express their anger and betrayal over what they describe as “humiliating” salary increments.
The outrage stems from July payslips which, for many, showed only minimal increases despite the recent signing of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that had been lauded for promising substantial improvements to pay and working conditions. The disillusionment has been so profound that some educators are now questioning the transparency and sincerity of both their unions and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
One veteran teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed the deep frustration felt by many of her colleagues.
“We were sold a dream of a better future through this CBA, but the reality on our payslips is a nightmare. This isn’t just about a small amount of money; it’s about a lack of respect for our profession and our dedication,” she said. “The morale in schools is at an all-time low. We were anticipating a meaningful change to help us cope with the rising cost of living, but what we’ve received feels like a slap in the face”.
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Payslip samples circulating among teachers reveal the stark reality: a senior teacher in Job Group D1 saw an increment of just Ksh36, while a teacher in Job Group C5 received only a Ksh72 increase. The increments were similarly low across the board, with teachers in C4 getting Ksh143, C3 receiving Ksh289, and C2 seeing an increase of Ksh600. The highest increment, a net of Ksh996, was for teachers in Job Group C1.
At the same time, teachers are grappling with multiple increased deductions. The pension deduction rose from Ksh2,792.55 to Ksh2,917.50, union dues from Ksh744 to Ksh778, PAYE from Ksh4,840.10 to Ksh5,281, and SHIF from Ksh1,293.45 to Ksh1,339.25. The Housing Levy also increased from Ksh705.80 to Ksh730.50. The teachers’ dismay is compounded by a mysterious new deduction labelled “SWAL:KUPPET-Union” which has appeared on payslips without any prior explanation or notice.
The new CBA, a four-year agreement with a Ksh33.7 billion allocation, was meant to be a landmark deal.
President William Ruto praised the agreement, promising salary increases of between six and 29 per cent. Similarly, union leaders had championed the deal. The Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), Akello Misori, had previously declared.
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“This CBA marks a shift towards fairness. In the last agreement, school heads benefited the most. This time, the ordinary teacher, the one carrying the daily burden, is at the centre.” He has since acknowledged the negotiations were “intense and full of intricacies” and that the final outcome fell short of expectations.
In light of the widespread disappointment, Migori County Executive Secretary Orwa Jasolo has formally criticised the Kuppet leadership for its lack of transparency.
In a letter to Misori, Jasolo wrote, “Our members are in disbelief. The July payslips reflect shockingly low increments, despite the signed CBA having promised meaningful change across job groups.” He called for immediate action, adding that “teachers are now demanding a clear breakdown of the implementation matrix, an explanation for the new SWAL deduction and immediate clarification from the unions and TSC.”
Many teachers feel that they have been left in the dark, with no formal communication from either their unions or the TSC to explain the discrepancies between the promises of the CBA and the reality of their payslips.
By Cornelius Korir
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