Teachers now get commuter allowance

 Kenya: The Government has moved to avert a simmering teachers’ strike by the allocating Sh5.5 billion towards payment of their disputed commuter allowance.

This is, however, Sh400 million shy of the amount required to fully implement the second phase of the allowance, which was negotiated after a nationwide strike.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) had threatened to disrupt learning in all public schools if the Government fails to pay teachers the agreed Sh5.9 billion.

The two unions recently protested after Treasury allocated teachers Sh3.8 billion for the commuter allowance.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich yesterday also announced that 5,000 teachers will be recruited at a cost of Sh2.3 billion.

This is, however, way below the 40,000 new teachers the unions have demanded and which would cost Sh18 billion. Teachers Service Commission had requested Sh9 billion to employ 20,000 teachers.

Kuppet national chairman Omboko Milemba said teachers expected Sh5 billion be directed towards promotion of over 7,000 teachers who have stagnated in job group K, L, M and N. Only Sh2 billion was set aside for this purpose. 

Mr Rotich also increased allocation to free primary and free day secondary education by 33 per cent.

This translates to Sh28.2 billion and Sh13.5 billion for primary and secondary education respectively.

This means the money sent to primary and secondary students will go up by Sh300 and Sh3,000 respectively. Currently, each pupil gets Sh1,050 while the secondary students Sh10,265.