The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to pay teachers June salaries early especially after the budget was read.
The Treasury CS John Mbadi read the national budget on 12th June paving way for June salaries as the financial year 2024 to 2025 is set to end on 30th June.
Usually June salaries are paid between date 18th and 22nd of the month of June, however the sources have indicated that the Commission will clear a number of teachers pending bills also as new changes are set to set in.
Among the bills to be cleared include arrears for teachers who were deployed to various cadres, hardship allowance arrears for teachers transferred to hardship regions, arrears for special school teachers among others.
However a section of teachers will suffer as TSC plans to scrap hardship allowance for a number of regions in line with Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) advisory.
TSC top officials are set to meet the Public Petitions Committee of the National Assembly regarding the criteria used in designating hardship zones across the country.
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This move however hinders a lot of policies as teachers are without a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that would open doors for salary increment.
All this backdrops comes amid the budget read no allocation was made for teachers’ salary increment as is the norm as talks on CBA 2025 – 2029 stalled and teachers unions have threatened a nationwide strike.
Teachers’ unions have warned of disruptions to learning in public schools following a deadlock over negotiations for a new CBA, with the government that would see teachers’ salaries raised.
The current CBA 2021 – 2025 will expire on 30th June 2025. Only a new CBA will allow teachers to have a pay rise. To compound the problem, there is no provision for improved salaries for teachers in the 2025 -2026 budget.
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The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (Kusnet) have all issued firm demands to the TSC, urging the employer to begin negotiations immediately or face industrial action.
Senior officials of the TSC appeared before the National Assembly Education Committee on May 13, to present the 2025 – 2026 budget estimates, only to reveal that no funds have been allocated for another CBA.
Knut is demanding a 60 percent adjustment in basic salaries over the four-year period, pegged on inflation, alongside a 30 percent increase in allowances.
Kuppet secretary-general Akelo Misori expressed his concern over the lack of engagement.
“The commission is fully constituted and what we now need is for the acting CEO, Evaleen Jesang Mitei to initiate talks” he said.
Kusnet secretary-general James Torome, said the union has not received any update from the TSC since July 2024, when the commission acknowledged receiving their proposals.
By Our Reporter
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