Teachers to receive between Sh785 and Sh5141 Salary Increment
Teachers have expressed dissatisfaction with the new pay agreement recently reached between their unions and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The agreement stipulates a salary increase ranging from Sh785 to Sh5,141, coinciding with the implementation of the housing levy and new National Social Security Fund (NSSF) rates.
This arrangement has been endorsed by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (Kusnet). However, just last week, Kuppet had criticized the proposal, deeming it an unfavorable deal and accusing the employer of being deceptive. The proposed increment signifies a rise of 2.4% to 9.5%.
Nevertheless, this pay raise will be counteracted by a 1.5% deduction for the housing levy and Sh360 for NSSF that will be applied to teachers’ payslips. Previously, teachers were exempt from NSSF deductions due to their enrollment in the Public Service Superannuation Scheme, a pension scheme.
The implementation of the new pay agreement commences this month, and the increased salaries will be reflected in the August payments, which are pending. TSC has indicated that the payment adjustment will be backdated to July of this year.
Regrettably, the new deal means that any gains in salary will essentially be absorbed by the newly introduced statutory deductions. Teachers within pay grades C4, C5, D4, and D5, falling under the minimum pay bracket, will not receive any increments. Additionally, D1 teachers will only experience an increment of Sh785.
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The revised agreement dictates that those in pay Grade B5 will witness a minimum wage increase of Sh2,074, elevating their pay from Sh21,756 to Sh23,830. Similarly, those in job group C1 will observe a pay rise from Sh27,195 to Sh29,787, amounting to Sh2,592. Teachers in job group C2 will see an increase of Sh3,331, with their salaries going from Sh34,955 to Sh38,286.
For teachers in C3, the minimum wage will now stand at Sh45,671, up from Sh43,154. However, the salaries of teachers in job groups C4 and C5 will remain unchanged at Sh52,308 and Sh62,272, respectively, under this new pay agreement.
D1 teachers will experience an increase of Sh785, bringing their salary from Sh77,840 to Sh78,625. Teachers in D2 will witness a raise of Sh1,455, taking their pay from Sh91,041 to Sh92,496, while those in D3 will see a boost of Sh1,399, elevating their earnings from Sh104,644 to Sh106,043.
However, teachers in D4 and D5 will not benefit from any pay increments, as their salaries will remain at Sh114,242 and Sh131,380, respectively.
Kuppet’s Secretary General, Akello Misori, expressed a shift in the union’s stance, noting that the pay deal is now considered crucial to alleviate the impact of inflation on teachers. He also appreciated the plan to enhance housing allowances for teachers in rural areas.
Despite the unions’ endorsement of the pay agreement, they have raised concerns about the process of teacher promotions. Kuppet criticized the career progression guidelines, asserting that they disadvantage teachers in lower cadres. While the agreement has been signed, both parties intend to address disputed issues through a technical committee composed of TSC and union representatives, including teacher compensation for acting roles.
TSC CEO, Nancy Macharia, disclosed that the commission had promoted 14,738 teachers, with an additional 36,275 vacancies available for promotions.
Teachers to receive between Sh785 and Sh5141 Salary Increment
