11,000 Teachers to Receive Pension 27 Years Later
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u reassured teachers and legislators on Wednesday that the government is making significant progress towards settling the debts owed to approximately 11,000 retired teachers who have gone 27 years without receiving their pensions.
Ndung’u informed Members of Parliament that the government had allocated Ksh16 billion in May to address the unpaid teachers’ pensions dating back to 1997. However, this allocation proved insufficient to cover all outstanding claims.
According to Prof. Ndung’u, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) reported a total of 23,267 revised claims to the National Treasury since 1997, and they have processed 22,317 of these claims. The timeline for the Treasury to remit the remaining balances will depend on the availability of resources.
The issue of unpaid pensions has become a contentious matter and is currently the subject of pending legal proceedings. Additionally, the fact that some retired teachers have passed away further complicates the case.
As a result of the government’s failure to pay their salaries, some teachers are living in dire poverty.
During the session, CS Ndung’u acknowledged the urgency of the matter, saying, “I’ve been in this position for ten months, and I agree with the urgency of the matter.”
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However, legislators raised concerns about the Ksh16 billion allocation, questioning whether it covers all pension payments or specifically addresses the pensions of previously excluded retirees.
These retired teachers had fought a protracted legal battle, finally securing their pensions in 2008. However, disbursements only began arriving this year, leaving some teachers still unpaid.
In response, the cabinet has committed to resolving all outstanding payments owed to teachers.
Notably, teachers who retired after July 2003 are not eligible for these benefits, as they had already received salary increases as part of the 1997 salary adjustment.
Originally, the retirees were supposed to receive their payments in five phases, with the final phase concluding in 2001. However, only the first phase was implemented, coinciding with the year when the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the government reached a payment agreement.
Akelo Misori, the Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education, has urged members of Parliament to exert pressure on the Treasury to ensure the prompt disbursement of these payments.
11,000 Teachers to Receive Pension 27 Years Later
