Intern Teachers Shocked As TSC Deducts House Levy & NSSF
TSC intern educators find themselves in a situation of distress. Their employer, TSC, has made deductions for housing funds via KRA, even including July’s arrears in these deductions. This has resulted in a reduction of their salaries, leaving them disheartened. Remarkably, this isn’t the first time such deductions have occurred without corresponding pay raises for these intern teachers.
To delve into the specifics, let’s examine the deductions closely. Back in July, a portion of their salaries, totaling sh. 360, was subtracted for the NSSF. Fast forward to August, where a notable 1.5% of their stipends met the same fate, directed toward the housing fund.
For those in the primary sector of intern teaching, their monthly compensation is sh. 15,000. However, the deductions translate to an effective payout of approximately sh. 14,000, after all is said and done. A parallel scenario unfolds for junior secondary teachers, whose sh. 20,000 stipends dwindle down to around sh. 18,000 post-deductions.
Unsurprisingly, the repercussions of these deductions are palpable. The recent pay cycle for August reflects these changes: primary intern teachers were left with sh. 12,570, while their junior secondary counterparts received sh. 17,570. These numbers fall far short of their accustomed earnings, causing disappointment and concern among the ranks.
This unsettling development has broader implications. It threatens to discourage potential educators from embracing internships in the future, given the evident inadequacy of the remuneration. The current payment structure fails to align with prevailing inflation rates and the cost of living, further exacerbating the issue.
Also Read:Â TSC Concludes Recruitment of Intern Teachers, Starts Deployment
Consequently, a trend has emerged. Many teachers, driven by financial prudence, opt out of internships. Instead, they gravitate towards positions governed by Boards of Management (BOM), where not only are the salaries better, but holistic well-being is also catered to.
Ironically, as permanent colleagues secured favorable adjustments in their pay, the intern teachers were left grappling with the status quo. Their salaries remained untouched, underscoring the disparity.
Meanwhile, TSC has embarked on a process of posting the newest cohort of intern teachers to various schools. A total of 20,000 individuals have been recruited, with 18,000 destined for junior secondary schools, while the remaining 2,000 will be dispatched to primary schools. Their primary role will involve bolstering the implementation of the new curricula.
Amidst these developments, the teacher unions—Knut, Kuppet, and Kusnet—proved ineffective in shielding the interns from these deductions. Their efforts to secure a review of the stipends also fell short during negotiations.
An interesting sidelight to this narrative is the stance taken by Kuppet. Although their attempts to secure an increase in the intern teachers’ monthly pay were notably feeble, they still demonstrated some degree of advocacy in this context.
Intern Teachers Shocked As TSC Deducts House Levy & NSSF
