TSC says teachers will get pay rise in July

Salary raises for teachers will take effect starting in July, their employer has said.

In efforts to address growing anxiety among the more than 305,000 teachers, Teachers Service Commission officials said on Sunday the Treasury had assured them that Sh13.8 billion had been set aside for the first phase of the collective bargaining agreements.

This means the raises will not be implemented in one phase as demanded by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers.

SOFTENED STANCE

The deal will cost taxpayers Sh54 billion in four years.

On Wednesday, the top decision-making organ of Knut softened its stance and asked that the CBA be adopted in two phases after the TSC indicated that it has other obligations to meet for teachers.

The commission argued that since it is required to promote teachers and hire new ones, full implementation of the Sh54 billion deal in one phase would distabilise its operations.

The TSC and the unions are set to meet soon to strike a deal on the implementation schedule.

During a meeting in Naivasha on May 5, the teachers’ unions rejected a TSC proposal to have the deal implemented in four phases.

MODALITIES UNDERWAY

On Sunday, TSC head of communications Kamotho Kihumba said consultations with union officials and other stakeholders on how to proceed were under way.

“These consultations are based on the framework of the provisions in the two CBAs and will take into account the interests of all parties. TSC will in due course issue a detailed circular on how individual teachers in different grades and administrative positions will benefit,” said Mr Kihumba.

But he did not disclose when the meetings will take place.

“The commission wishes to assure all teachers, stakeholders and the public that there should be no cause for alarm or anxiety as the CBAs will be implemented with effect from July 1,” said Mr Kihumba.

CAREER PROGRESSION

The CBA was signed in October last year and later registered with the Labour Relations and Employment Court on November 30 in readiness for implementation.
The CBA will be implemented between July 1 and June 30, 2021.

The salary deal has created a distinct career progression for all teachers and aims to ensure that both those in administrative and non-administrative positions have clear career paths.

The CBA established a new grading and salary structure based on the principle of equal pay for equal work, with all primary and post-primary teachers in non-administrative positions moving from Grade B5 (former Job H) to D1 (formerly Job Group P).

Primary school administrators are also supposed to be appointed procedurally.

CRUCIAL BENEFITS

The CBA also addresses other, non-monetary but crucial benefits such as leaves and professional development.

In the deal, the lowest-paid teachers, who currently earn Sh21,745, will get a raise of Sh5,450.

And the highest-paid teachers in Job Group R, who currently earn Sh104,644, will get a raise of Sh20,644.

Once implemented, the highest-paid teachers, who will be in Job Group T, will take home a maximum of Sh157,656.

The highest grade for a primary school headteacher will be D1.

DIFFERENT SALARY POINTS

Senior teachers under groups M and N will now fall under Job Group C4 and C5, respectively.

Principals will fall under D3 and senior principals under D4.

Two grades (group Q and R) have been collapsed into D5.

However, teachers will enter the grades at different salary points.