By Azael Masese
Disquiet is brewing among thousands of teachers employed by the Teacher Service Commission (TSC) over delay to implement an agreed improved house allowance.
Consequently, teachers’ representatives have read mischief on the delay and questioned TSC’s wisdom on its policy framework.
Under the new policy, teachers were to earn the improved house allowance according to their respective work stations and this would determine the rates they would be paid.
Mapping to establish each school’s location was conducted by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the National Treasury some years back. Those serving in urban areas were to receive higher perks compared to their counterparts serving in rural locations.
Though this mapping exercise has since been concluded, about 10,000 teachers are yet to receive the improved package as their work stations were erroneously left out due to confusion arising from the audit of those areas.
All the 312,000 were expected to enjoy the enhanced house allowance following a negotiated deal with their employer, the TSC.
The National Treasury revised the list of schools whose teachers would be entitled to enhanced House allowance on the advice of Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). But it appears this mapping exercise was fraught with many errors.
SRC advises the National and County governments on the harmonisation, equity and fairness of remuneration.
In her 2016 communication, TSC Secretary/Chief Executive Nancy Macharia admitted that there was serious disparities in house allowance that needs to be fixed sooner than later.
“The Commission is aware there is a problem on the mapping of schools for house allowance purposes. Consultations are ongoing with SRC to address the issue and come up with a comprehensive solution.”
Kisumu West Knut branch Executive Secretary Mr Edward Olando said TSC is portraying two faces of the same teacher on the ground, and consequently disfranchising them.
He pointed out the case of MM Shah Primary and Arya Primary in Kisumu County as a perfect example of the confusion with their employer.
“The two are located a few metres apart yet those at MM Shah get enhanced house allowance while their counterparts at Arya Primary do not,” he said.
Laikipia County Kuppet executive secretary Mr Daniel Wangenye said the use of old boundaries to award enhanced house allowance is an unjust and unfair criteria.
Mr Wangenye who spoke on behalf of Kuppet officials from the larger Mount Kenya said while teachers from Nyeri High get enhanced house allowance those from Kigumo Boys are left out.
“This is despite the fact that Kigumo High is nearer Nyeri town compared to Nyeri Boy’s hence the cost of living for the former is higher compared with the latter,” he noted.
Kericho Knut branch executive secretary Mr Stanley Mutai wondered why it has taken the commission long to notice the anomaly in the payment system
“I was involved in the mapping of the schools and it is surprising that two schools within the same locality receive different rates and this amounts to discrimination,” he told Education News.
Kiambu West Knut branch executive secretary Mr Michael Muna said failure by the commission to implement the proposed house allowance has reduced teachers to paupers.
He said teachers at Uthiru Secondary and Mama Ngina are paid house allowance similar to those in rural areas despite the schools being within town.
He said other civil servants who work in Nairobi and reside in Uthiru and the cosmopolitan Kiambu get a better deal compared to teachers.
“Teachers cannot afford even a bed sitter and the only alternative is to live in slums and this amounts to degrading the teaching profession,” he regretted.
Nyamira Knut branch executive secretary Mr Kennedy Migosi termed the whole leadership at TSC as mischievous and a let-down to its employees.
“Some teachers who qualify to receive the improved package are yet to get it and I am not surprised by this because the commission likes mistreating teachers,” he claimed.Nakuru branch Kuppet executive secretary Eliud Wanjohi termed the structure used by TSC as non-responsive to the teachers’ needs.
Using the old administrative units, he said, has not helped address the issue of enhanced house allowance and this has demoralised teachers.
His Yatta branch counterpart, Mr Michael Kasimba said the proposed allowance has not put on the table tangible benefits for the teacher.
“TSC did not award teachers any enhanced house allowance. What they did is that despite giving some promotions, the house allowance projected to accompany the promotion was never factored,” he said.
The payout was expected to mark the implementation of the last phase of enhanced allowance for teachers as contained in the 2013/2017 Collective Bargain Agreement signed on June 20th, 2016 in Mombasa.
For example, those stationed in Nairobi were set to receive the highest amount of the monthly allowance owing to the relatively high cost of living, followed closely by those working in major towns across the country.
Under the proposed new terms, teachers at Job Groups H (B5 in new grading) who are mainly P1 tutors serving in Nairobi would pocket Sh6,750 per month up from Sh6,167 with effect from July 2017.
Their counterparts teaching in major towns such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Malindi and Kitale were set to earn Sh4,500 per month improved from Sh4,000 they had been pocketing.
There are more than 130,000 teachers in grade B5. Those serving in other former municipalities were to pocket Sh3,850 monthly up from 3567 while those serving in other areas (Rural setting) will earn Sh3,200 up from the previous Sh3,134.
Tutors in Job Group J (Grade C1) based in Nairobi County were projected to pocket Sh10,000 per month as house allowance per month compared to Sh8,667 they were earning previously.
Tutors of the same grade in the former major municipalities were expected to pocket Sh7,500 up from Sh6,167.
Teachers in the same category but serving in other former municipalities have been pushed up from Sh5,034 per month to Sh5,800 while their counterparts in other areas (rural setting) will receive Sh4,200 per month, an improvement from Sh3,967. Job Group J has more than 24,000 tutors.
Teachers in Job Group ‘K’ (Grade C2) based in Nairobi will now be paid Sh16, 500 per month up from Shs14, 334; while their counterparts in the former major municipalities will take home Sh12, 800 up from Sh10, 534.
Tutors of the same grade in other former municipalities who have been earning Sh8,400 per month as House allowance, from this month will be pocket Sh9,600, with their counterparts in other areas (Rural setting) have been awarded Shs7,500 per month up from Sh7,000. Job Group ‘K’ has about 44,000 teachers.
The highest paid teachers, those in Job Groups ‘P’, ‘Q’ and ‘R’ (Grade D1 – D5) and stationed in Nairobi County their House allowance has been hiked from Sh46,667 per month to Shs50,000 effect from this July, with their counterparts in the former major municipalities pocketing Shs35,000 up from Sh28,334.
These categories of tutors are Principal Graduate Teachers, Senior Principals and Chief Principals who are about 700.
Their counterparts in other former municipalities effect from this July will earn Shs25,000 up from the previous Shs21,667 per month, with those in other areas (Rural setting) walking home with a cool Sh20,000 per month up from Shs18,334.
Teachers in Grade D1 will be paid House allowance at the same level with those in D2 to D5.
