Thousands of teachers across Kenya will begin earning higher salaries from July after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) confirmed that funds for the pay rise have already been set aside in the new financial year’s budget.
The announcement was made on Friday by TSC Chairperson Jamleck Muturi during the closing ceremony of the 49th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Annual National Conference in Mombasa.
Muturi said the National Treasury had allocated KSh8.4 billion to facilitate the salary increment, assuring teachers that the commission would implement the increase as planned.
“We have been allocated KSh8.4 billion for increasing teachers’ salaries from July this year. That money has been allocated, and we will ensure that it is paid,” he said.
Beyond the pay rise, the TSC also unveiled a raft of measures aimed at improving teachers’ welfare, including the promotion of more than 30,000 teachers and the employment of 24,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Muturi revealed that the Treasury has released an additional KSh2 billion to support the promotions, with advertisements for the vacancies expected in the coming weeks.
The exercise will cover teachers serving in job groups C2, C3, D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5.
He said promotions would be based on merit, performance and years of service, while teachers who have remained in the same job group for long periods would also be considered.
The confirmation of permanent and pensionable jobs for 24,000 JSS teachers is expected to come as welcome news for educators who have repeatedly called for improved terms of employment.
The issue has dominated recent engagements between teachers’ unions and the government, with many JSS teachers demanding job security after serving under different employment arrangements.
While Julius Ogamba, the Education Cabinet Secretary who also attended the conference, asked the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to publish learning materials for learners with special needs immediately.
The Education Cabinet Secretary urged the curriculum body to prioritize the production of Braille books among others learning materials to ensure that learners with disabilities are not left out.
Meanwhile, the recent developments follow a mere week when TSC and KUPPET signed an MOU meant to streamline the promotion process for teachers.
The MOU was signed on 18th of June and is based on the CBA that was signed in July last year and is believed to solve several problems that have been faced by teachers for many years.
In the new arrangements, teachers will now be promoted through six levels compared to the old system.
The latest commitments by TSC are likely to boost morale in the teaching profession, with many educators set to benefit from higher salaries, career progression opportunities and improved employment terms from the start of the new financial year.