This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
Teachers in Kenya are facing another pay shock, courtesy of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). In the August salaries, members of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) have been left out of the benefits of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in 2016.
According to sources, the TSC has also failed to deduct money due for remittance to KNUT, which has already been feeling the heat on the failed remittance of union dues of about Sh. 280 million, throwing branches into paralysis.
On August 8, the TSC released a statement explaining that the payroll under Schemes of Service has posed numerous challenges, including the overpayment of salaries, which the commission is bound by law to determine and recover as government liability against the respective teachers.
"It translates to overpayment of salaries which the commission is bound by law to determine and recover as government liability against the respective teachers," the TSC said in the statement.
So far, all the 318,000 teachers have been benefiting from the 2017-2021 CBA signed between TSC, KNUT, and Kuppet. However, the TSC has indicated that it is currently analysing the extent of the resultant overpayment.
"It is important to note that in the normal course of its business, the commission recovers erroneous payments as and when the same are detected such as allowances paid for a teacher who was transferred after the payroll is run," said Nancy Macharia, TSC Chief Executive Officer.
Ms. Macharia also said based on the recent court ruling, the commission is unable to fully pay the teachers their salary increment that was due at the end of July.
On August 8, the TSC released a statement explaining that the payroll under Schemes of Service has posed numerous challenges, including the overpayment of salaries, which the commission is bound by law to determine and recover as government liability against the respective teachers.
As a result of the TSC's latest move, it has emerged that the impending recovery of the monies already paid to KNUT members after implementation of the 2016 CBA has further necessitated the mass exit of some 90,000 teachers from KNUT.
