Teachers serving in hardship and arid areas through their welfare lobby group have opposed President William Ruto’s pronouncement that all civil servants will have 3 per cent of their salary deducted towards Housing Fund.
President Ruto made the announcement while attending a church service today, April 23, at Dolhnhom in Nairobi that all civil servants would be deducted 3 per cent of their salary that will be contributed towards the Housing Fund.
Speaking to Education News just few minutes after the pronouncement, Wangonya Wangenye who is the National Secretary of
Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association (KETHAWA) stated that despite teachers supporting the government of the day, they are humbly requesting the President to reconsider the position.
“I humbly request the president to reconsider the government position particularly now when the cost of living is very high and the inflation rate skyrocketing,” said Wangenye.
“The current salaries and allowances for all civil servants, teachers in hardship areas included is even hardly enough to feed them and as association, we have recently requested Teachers Service Commission to sign a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with our unions in order to enhance salaries and allowances to caution high inflation rate,” he added.
According to Wangenye, although housing scheme is a noble idea, he is requesting the president to push the implementation time to a future date when salaries and allowances will have been reviewed upwards.
He further request the government to make this contribution voluntary to interested members only.
“Teachers in hardship and arid areas are currently preoccupied with their working conditions. Welfare and any deduction in payslip will negatively impact on their delivery of services, making it even worse than it already is,” stated Wangenye.
By Roy Hezron
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