As part of Phase One of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced a significant adjustment on teachers’ allowances across all job groups.
These changes, effective July 1, 2025, include revised rates for house, hardship, commuter, disability, baggage, and annual leave allowances.
Evaleen Mitei, Acting Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in a circular addressed all principals of diploma teacher training colleges, heads of primary, secondary, and special needs education institutions, as well as the Director of the Kenya Institute of Special Education.
The house allowance is now based on regional classification: Cluster 1 (Nairobi), Cluster 2 (major urban areas), and Cluster 3 (all other regions).
A teacher in Grade C4 posted in Nairobi will now receive a housing allowance of KSh 31,000, compared to KSh 22,000 in Cluster 2 and KSh 13,000 in Cluster 3.
Meanwhile, hardship allowance for Grade D2 has increased to KSh 31,501, and commuter allowances range from KSh 4,000 for Grade B5 to KSh 16,000 for Grade D5.
“The allowances shall be implemented in the payroll alongside the Phase One salary structures with effect from July 1 2025,” the circular states.
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Mitei affirmed, “This revised allowance structure reflects the realities of teaching environments and the need to support staff more fairly.”
The circular also noted: “Teachers stationed in hardship areas shall continue to receive hardship allowance as per the established criteria in Appendix B.”
Further, the Commission committed to the timely integration of these figures: “House, commuter and hardship allowances shall be factored into the monthly payroll for eligible teachers based on their grade and location.”
The circular was copied to the Cabinet Secretaries for Education, Public Service, Labour, and the National Treasury; the Auditor General; the Controller of Budget; the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC); the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT); the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET); the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET); and all Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Regional and County Directors.
By Joseph Mambili
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