TSC's schedule on sharing of Sh13 billion boom

By VITALIS KIMUTAI

The Teachers Service Commission has released details of how teachers would share the Sh13.5 billion arrears backdated to July 1. They will share the cake based on their various job groups following the harmonisation of their salaries with those of civil servants. The details in a circular to all TSC county directors and principals of training institutions is proof that teachers’ bank accounts will hold something extra this month.

The highest paid teacher in job group R will pocket Sh168,186 at the end of this month, including arrears for July, August, and September.

On the other hand, the lowest paid teacher at job group F (P2 teacher), which will be phased out in July, next year, will take home Sh21,849.

Those working in regions classified as hardship areas and their counterparts in special schools will earn an additional Sh5,204 in job group F, and Sh11,579 in job group R.

In the circular released by TSC Secretary, Gabriel Lengoiboni the teachers in special schools and hardship areas will be handsomely rewarded for their work.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) signed the memorandum of understanding freeing payment of the money with TSC on September 24, after a three-week teachers’ strike.

However house, commuter, responsibility, and medical allowances pushed for by Knut and Kuppet remained unchanged.

ENHANCED PACKAGE

In the boom teachers in job group F will take home a maximum of Sh16,080 per month, up from Sh14,157. In effect they will earn an accumulative figure of Sh21,849 inclusive of the Sh7,692 enhanced package backdated to July 1, while those in Job group G will start earning a maximum of Sh21,304 up from Sh17,527 per month.

Those in job group G will therefore earn an extra Sh3,777 per month, which translates, to Sh32,635.

Other backdated arrears to be paid are Job group H (Sh33,089), J (Sh41,987), K (Sh54,852), job group L (Sh60,535), M (Sh73,729), N (Sh86,452), P (Sh151,076), Q (Sh139,515), R (Sh168,186).

The package earned by teachers in job groups Q and R is lower than those in job group P because most reached the maximum level, which offers higher salaries than those harmonised with the civil servants before the new deal was signed.

Teachers at Job group F working in hardship areas will get an extra Sh5,204, making a total of Sh26,508 in arrears from July to this month.

Those in job group G will get an additional Sh6,612, H (Sh8220), J (Sh9752), K (Sh15,428), job group L (Sh18,620), M (Sh20,338), N (Sh26,016), job group P (Sh55,936), Q (Sh66,884), and job group R (Sh86,756).

Payment of special school allowances will be applicable to teachers teaching in Special Institutions or Units. In this category, those in job group F will take home an additional Sh1,344 per month, which translates into Sh5,376 in arrears since July.

Those in job group G will collect Sh6,204 in arrears, H (Sh2,740), J (Sh3,252), K (Sh5,144), (Sh6,208), M (Sh6,776), N (Sh8,672), job group P, Sh18,644, Q (Sh22,292) and R (Sh28,916).

The basic salary increment will be affected in full this month, together with payment of the attendant areas backdated to July 1.

Hardship allowances for the teachers according to TSC will be adjusted in line with the realigned salaries.

“The rate applicable will be 30 per cent of the basic minimum of each grade in the realigned salary,” Lengoiboni stated in a circular dated October 1.

The realignment will apply to all teachers in the service on or after July 1, according to the document from TSC. It further states that all serving teachers converting to the realigned salaries will retain their incremental dates.

Kuppet emerged the biggest winner in the deal, as the harmonisation of salaries between the teachers and the civil servants that was top on their raft of demands was the only one implemented.

“It is a fact that what the teachers are enjoying now is as a result of the demands to the employer by Kuppet,” confirmed Akello Misori, the secretary general. Knut, though it signed the deal and called off the strike, had not listed harmonisation of salaries and allowances among its demands to TSC, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Labour in its strike notice.

SALARY TALKS

“This was the mother of all strikes, and we hope the Government will in future be serious with its engagements with the unons on teachers’ salaries and allowances,” said Wilson Session, Knut chairman.

TSC two weeks ago said they were to constitute a committee to continue holding talks with Knut and Kuppet over their demands for a 300 per cent and 100 per cent salary increase for teachers.

The strike was called off following negotiations between Finance Minister Njeru Githae and the two unions resulting in resumption of learning in schools.

Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo also appended his signature on the deal.

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