Kenyan teachers are to receive a significant salary boost after a new collective bargaining agreement between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and two of the largest unions KUPPET and KUSNET.
The five-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for 2025 to 2029 will see a total of Ksh33 billion injected into the salaries of teachers with the releases starting this month.
It comes as a relief to thousands of educators who have long demanded fairer pay, especially for classroom teachers.
Higher Salaries Across All Job Groups
At the top of the scale, teachers in job group D5 will now earn up to Ksh167,415, representing a 5% increase. Meanwhile, those in the lowest job group currently earning around Ksh23,000 will see their pay jump to approximately Ksh29,000, a significant 29.6% rise.
The salary adjustments will be rolled out gradually, with an annual allocation of Ksh8.4 billion for the next five years. The final phase of implementation will end on June 30, 2029.
Here’s how monthly basic salaries will now look across selected job groups:
C1: Ksh35,300 – Ksh47,300
C2: Ksh41,400 – Ksh57,200
C3: Ksh49,800 – Ksh66,200
C4: Ksh58,600 – Ksh77,100
C5: Ksh69,700 – Ksh96,100
D1: Ksh81,000 – Ksh99,300
D2: Ksh95,300 – Ksh116,000
D3: Ksh109,200 – Ksh133,300
D4: Ksh121,800 – Ksh150,700
A Shift in Priority: From Administrators to the Classroom
Upon signing the agreement, KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori supported the new salary scheme, noting that it helps to fill the gap left by the past CBAs.
“In the 2016–2021 CBA, administrators were the main beneficiaries. This time, we’ve ensured classroom teachers aren’t left behind,” he said.
The new deal also marks the beginning of the phasing out of the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), a system introduced in 2018 that many teachers have criticised for being opaque, rigid, and punitive. While allowances remain unchanged for now, the unions said further discussions on benefits could follow.
Deal Reached After High-Stakes Talks
This agreement follows a crucial meeting earlier in the week between TSC and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), where a counter-offer was agreed upon. TSC then invited the teachers’ unions to the negotiation table, leading to Friday’s breakthrough.
The implementation of the new CBA begins immediately, and teachers are expected to receive their new salaries with July’s paycheck.
For many educators, the salary deal is more than just numbers it’s recognition of their dedication and a step toward restoring equity in the teaching profession.
