Teachers to Wait Longer For August Salary As TSC Withdraws Payroll

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) withdrew the August payroll shortly after meeting with teachers’ unions and other education stakeholders. The Commission had initially prepared the payroll for immediate disbursement to banks and savings cooperatives but decided to retract it at the last moment due to further considerations.

Teachers had eagerly anticipated receiving their August salaries, which were supposed to include arrears backdated to July 1. After lengthy discussions with the unions, TSC had committed to paying the salaries by Friday and finalizing the process by Saturday. However, no payments were made, leaving bank and cooperative branches across the country without disbursements, as TSC backed out of its promise.

According to sources, TSC withheld the payroll due to the impending teachers’ strike, scheduled to begin next week. The Commission is using the August salary as leverage to compel teachers to return to work, with only those who report back being paid. Data on attendance will be collected by heads of institutions and submitted to TSC headquarters in Nairobi. KUSNET members, who are not participating in the strike, will still receive their salaries.

Despite TSC’s withdrawal, members of both Knut and Kuppet remain resolute in their decision to strike starting August 26, 2024, when schools are set to reopen. The unions argue that TSC only addressed one of their five demands by agreeing to implement the second phase of a Sh13 billion pay deal, which includes salary increases ranging from Sh2,570 for the lowest-paid teachers (B5) to Sh393 for the highest earners (D5).

The new salary scales will raise the lowest-paid teachers’ earnings to between Sh23,830 and Sh29,787, while the highest-paid will earn between Sh131,389 and Sh162,539. Teachers will also benefit from various allowances, including commuter, housing, leave, and hardship allowances, ranging from Sh3,850 to Sh50,000, depending on the category.

TSC’s CEO, Dr. Macharia, confirmed that these salary adjustments would be reflected in August payslips, with arrears backdated to July 1. This increase follows a similar adjustment last year as part of the first phase of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). On Wednesday, TSC announced it had received the necessary funds from the government to fully implement the second phase of the pay deal, affecting over 370,000 teachers nationwide.

Teachers in pay Grade B5 will receive a minimum increase of Sh1,037, bringing their pay to Sh23,830, while the highest earners in this group will take home Sh29,787. This marks the final implementation of the deal signed last August by Knut, Kuppet, and Kusnet.

Despite these assurances, KNUT and KUPPET are maintaining their plans to strike, citing unresolved issues, such as the promotion of 130,000 teachers and the confirmation of 46,000 interns. Dr. Macharia has urged teachers to return to work on Monday as the government has already allocated the funds for the pay increase. The unions are also pressing for resolutions on other matters, including a review of the Career Progression Guidelines, remittance of third-party deductions, and improvements to the medical scheme to ensure access to public and private hospitals.