The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been allocated Sh13 billion in the financial year starting July to implement the second phase of the 2021-2025 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The Commission and union representatives in August last year signed an agreement to amend the 2021-2025 CBA to include a salary increment of up to 9.5 percent spread over two years.
The original version of the CBA did not have a monetary aspect.
"Key areas funded include implementation of the 2nd phase of the collective bargaining agreement 2021-2025 at a cost of Sh13 billion," TSC officials told the National Assembly committee on Education during a meeting to consider the financial year 2024/2025 estimates.
Aside from the basic pay increase, the deal with Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post Primary Education (KUPPET) and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) includes a house allowance for teachers under cluster 4 that is also payable in two financial years.
Up to 87 percent of the public teaching service, majority of who are stationed in rural areas, are earning house allowance under Cluster 4 category. The allowance abides by the standard criteria, which is the teacher's job grade and workstation.
The net effect of increasing the house allowance for teachers in Cluster 4 is that it now levels up with what is payable to those in Cluster 3, with full harmonization set for July 2024.
The higher the job grade, the higher the TSC house allowance, alongside other allowances including commuter, hardship and leave allowance.
The 2021-2025 was negotiated and executed in the middle of an economic meltdown occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic that disrupted global supply chains causing reversal of prior monetary and fiscal policies.
At the time, the TSC and the teachers' unions agreed to suspend the monetary component of the CBA and make reviews once the economy improved.
The Commission opened discussions with the three teacher's unions in August with view of reviewing the 2021-2025 CBA after the National Treasury forecasted Kenya's economic growth would expand by 5.5 percent in 2023 up from 4.8 percent last year.
The talks hit a rough patch when representatives from the trade unions refused to sign the TSC offer of between 2.4 percent and 9.5 percent salary increase saying it was lower than what is recommended by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
"The unions sought more time to interrogate the offer and consult with their members and other internal organs of the unions to make an informed decision on the matter," noted TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia when she announced that the parties had finally signed a deal.
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Besides the benefits assured under the CBA, the commission and the unions have had several negotiations targeted at improving the terms and conditions of teachers in the country such as promotions, career progression and workload for special needs education (SNE) teachers.
In the financial year starting July 2024, the TSC has been allocated the lion's share in the education sector budget at Sh364.9 billion up from Sh316.7 billion in the current financial year.
Under the budget, the Commission has been allocated Sh1 billion for the promotion of teachers and another Sh8.3 billion for the conversion of 26,000 intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms starting January 2025.
Some Sh4.68 billion has been set aside for recruitment of an additional 20,000 interns in efforts to seal up the staff gaps in the teaching workforce.
