You’ll get your pay hike in July, TSC assures teachers

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has assured teachers that their salaries will be increased starting July 1.

Yesterday, the employer said it has been in touch with the National Treasury and they have a commitment that the Sh13.7 billion will be available in time for the increase.

"An assurance has already been given that funds for implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) signed in October 2016 have been set aside," said TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia in a statement.

The commission said the implementation of the CBA will commence on July 1 as scheduled.

The teachers' employer was responding to the budgetary gap report that revealed the money to pay lecturers and teachers was not factored in the estimates.

In its presentation to the National Assembly Education Committee last week, TSC said, "The Commission signed CBAs with teachers' unions to be implemented from July 1. However, there is no provision in these estimates for the same."

The Ministry of Education had also stated that no money had been allocated for the 2013/17 CBAs as talks to end the university lecturers' strike are still underway.

But yesterday, TSC said it is already working on the implementation modalities of the CBAs and noted that this will be completed before the commencement date of the agreements and "teachers will be informed accordingly".

Another statement by the ministry said some Sh100 billion will be available for all public servants' salary increase in the next financial year.

The statement clarified that in the 2017/18 budget estimates, it will be possible to get an allocation that will also cater for teachers and lecturers pay demands.

The details emerged during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta on February 8, 2017, whose main agenda was to consider and approve the 2017/18 budget estimates for submission to Parliament.

It says that under the same arrangement, there is also allocation for the harmonisation of public sector salaries and allowances, civil service pension; house and hardship allowances.

The recruitment of 10,000 police officers and 5,000 teachers will also be taken care of.

The TSC urged teachers not to be distracted by reports that they may not get salary adjustments.

"TSC wishes to assure all teachers, stakeholders and the public that there is no cause for alarm as the CBAs will be implemented as agreed. Teachers should not be distracted from their important responsibility of teaching the country's 12 million learners in public learning institutions," said Macharia.

This means that starting July, the salary for the highest paid teacher would rise to Sh157,656, up from Sh109,089. The lowest paid primary school teacher would earn Sh27,195. Currently, they take home Sh21,756.

And for secondary teachers, the lowest paid earns up to Sh34,955.