This archive report was first published on 9 September 2019.
Kenya's Teachers' Service Commission (TSC) is facing a fresh push from teachers for higher salaries, with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) seeking a significant increase in the basic salary of the lowest-paid teacher.
According to a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for 2021-2023, Knut wants the basic salary of the lowest-paid teacher, currently earning Sh27,195, to be increased to Sh65,268.
The CBA, which will replace the current CBA (2017-2021), also proposes annual increments to be awarded from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2023, and that house allowances be adjusted by 50 per cent effective from July 1, 2021.
On risk allowance, Knut wants all teachers handling technical and science subjects to benefit at the rate of 10 per cent of their basic salary.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) is proposing a salary increase of between 30 and 70 per cent in the 2021-2025 CBA.
TSC boss Nancy Macharia said the commission was also looking at the proposal by Kuppet on harmonising house allowances for teachers so that it is based on job group and not geographical location.
"It was agreed that there shall be a joint retreat between TSC and Kuppet to not only to evaluate the progress and gaps in the implementation of the current CBA, but to also lay the ground for the next CBA," she said after meeting Kuppet recently.
