Teachers in Kenya may soon benefit from a fresh wave of financial incentives if a new Bill currently before Parliament is enacted.
The Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to provide legal backing for several allowances that educators have long demanded, while also bringing clarity to how teachers serving in acting positions are appointed and compensated.
Sponsored by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, the Bill seeks to amend the existing Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Act of 2012, introducing reforms designed to make the payment of allowances more structured, transparent, and fair. It is currently under consideration by the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Education.
A notable feature of the proposed law is the introduction of a new section—Section 32A—which outlines detailed procedures and criteria for assigning teachers to act in higher positions, such as deputy headteacher or head of department. This move is intended to formalize what has often been an inconsistent and sometimes exploitative practice within the education sector.
The Bill also proposes a new schedule of allowances—referred to as Schedule Four—which includes a range of financial benefits that may be granted under specific conditions.
These allowances are expected to provide critical support for teachers working under challenging circumstances or in special roles. Although most of the allowances outlined in the Bill will be non-pensionable, the responsibility allowance will be pensionable if a teacher earns it continuously up to the point of retirement.
In a bid to align teachers’ remuneration with national standards, the Bill further proposes an amendment to Section 11 of the current Act.
This amendment would require the Teachers Service Commission to work in consultation with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) when setting the levels of allowances payable to teachers. This move aims to eliminate arbitrary decisions and ensure fairness in compensation.
Explaining the motivation behind the Bill, MP Haro said in the memorandum of objects and reasons that the amendments are intended to provide a legal framework for additional allowances to teachers, over and above their basic pay.
The proposals, he added, are designed to recognize the extra responsibilities many teachers shoulder and the unique conditions under which they work.
