This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
Kenya's Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has reassured teachers that their salaries will not be slashed, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This follows fears by teachers in public primary, secondary, teacher training, and technical colleges that their salaries might be cut due to the cancelled 2020 academic year.
As of now, there is no plan to stop paying teachers, according to Beatrice Wababu, the TSC Director of Communications. She explained that schools are closed due to the pandemic, and teachers will resume teaching as soon as conditions are right.
Ms. Wababu added that the commission cannot penalize teachers for a problem they did not create until it is decided otherwise. According to TSC records, teachers in public schools are paid Sh. 20.6 billion in salaries per month, bringing the annual cost in salaries to Sh. 247.2 billion.
Teachers also enjoy a medical cover by AON Minet, which costs the commission Sh. 9 billion annually. The cover provides inpatient medical benefits ranging from Sh. 750,000 to Sh. 2.5 million, depending on the job group.
However, the fate of teachers in private schools remains unclear, as the government has not committed to providing a rescue package to the teachers. They have not earned any salary since March when the school calendar was suspended.
