Lecturers’ pay to be based on courses

Universities Academic Staff Union officials and members go to meet the Education Cabinet secretary concerning their pay demands, in Nairobi on April 18, 2018. They will now be paid based on the courses they teach. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Lecturers in medicine, engineering, architecture, computer science and law will be paid more than those teaching humanities and social sciences.
  • There are plans to strengthen TVET institutions to coordinate the management and development of trainers, while the TSC manages teachers.

University lecturers will now be paid based on the courses they teach after the National Assembly approved a sessional paper on education reforms.

Under the new formula known as differentiated unit cost, universities will be allocated funds depending on their programmes instead of student enrolment, as has been the case.

Consequently, lecturers in medicine, engineering, architecture, computer science and law will be paid more than those teaching humanities and social sciences.

MANDATE REALIGNED

The Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2019 policy framework for reforming education and training for sustainable development in Kenya also says that the government will empower public university councils to determine the terms and conditions of service for their staff.

The policy also proposes the introduction of government assistance in public and private universities for postgraduate students to help them attain PhDs and serve as teaching assistants.

“One of the main challenges in the attraction and retention of staff to the subsector, especially in public universities, is the current approach to development and implementation of terms and conditions of service for academic members of staff,” notes the paper.

There are plans to strengthen vocational education training (TVET) institutions to coordinate the management and development of trainers, while the Teachers Service Commission manages teachers.

CAPACITY BUILDING

There are also plans to establish a trainer education and development standard, based on principles that will ensure optimal delivery of competence-based education and training for the trainees.

The government will also develop TVET trainers through pre-service training and in-service exposure to continuous professional development as well as to equip all TVET trainers with anagogical skills.

Meanwhile, the Education ministry has organised a workshop with various stakeholders on competency-based education and training curriculum in TVETs, which is being implemented.