Thousands of civil servants are set to earn higher salaries following the Salaries and Remuneration Commission's (SRC) approval of the second phase of the Fourth Remuneration Review Cycle, with teachers emerging among the biggest beneficiaries of the latest pay review.
In a circular dated July 17, 2026, SRC Chairperson Sammy Chepkwony notified the Principal Secretary for Public Service that the revised salary structure takes effect from July 1, 2026, paving the way for salary increases across the National Government.
"The Salaries and Remuneration Commission has determined and approved the implementation of Phase II of the Fourth Remuneration Review Cycle for the Civil Service in the National Government effective July 1, 2026," the circular states.
The review forms part of the 2025/26-2028/29 remuneration cycle and is expected to improve the earnings of thousands of public servants who have been awaiting the second phase of the four-year salary review.
According to SRC, the revised salary structure was developed after considering inflation, labour productivity, the government's ability to sustain the public wage bill, affordability, competitiveness in the labour market and the need to attract and retain skilled personnel in the public service.
While the salary increments vary across job groups, the review is expected to cushion workers from the rising cost of living that has eroded the purchasing power of salaries over the last two years.
Under the new structure, the lowest-paid civil servant in Job Group A3 will earn a basic salary of between Sh20,640 and Sh23,710. With a house allowance of between Sh2,500 and Sh3,750 and a commuter allowance of Sh3,000, the gross monthly pay will range between Sh27,390 and Sh30,460.
At the top of the scale, officers in Job Group E4 will receive a basic salary of between Sh312,085 and Sh576,120. Combined with a house allowance of up to Sh100,000 and other benefits, including entertainment, domestic servant and extraneous allowances, senior officers in Nairobi will earn a gross monthly salary of between Sh602,685 and Sh866,720.
Teachers, however, are expected to reap some of the biggest gains following the government's allocation of Sh8.4 billion to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to implement the second phase of the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The salary review marks the second phase of the four-year agreement signed in July 2025 between TSC and teachers' unions, including the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET).
Under the revised salary scales, a Primary Teacher II in Grade B5 will earn between Sh32,410 and Sh42,280 as basic salary, with additional house and commuter allowances pushing gross earnings to between Sh43,160 and Sh53,030 depending on the duty station.
Primary Teacher I and Special Needs Education teachers in Grade C1 will earn between Sh38,210 and Sh49,910, while Senior Teacher II officers in Grade C2 will receive between Sh45,210 and Sh61,020.
Secondary Teacher I and Lecturer II officers in Grade C3 will earn between Sh49,910 and Sh73,050, while Head Teachers, Deputy Principals III and Senior Special Needs teachers in Grade C5 will take home between Sh63,870 and Sh105,150 before allowances.
Senior Master I and Deputy Principal I officers in Grade D2 will earn between Sh96,140 and Sh144,300, while Senior Principals in Grade D4 will receive basic salaries ranging from Sh120,440 to Sh202,080, excluding allowances.
Speaking during an education day at Mbiriri Comprehensive School in Kieni, Nyeri County, TSC Chairman Dr Jamleck Muturi said teachers should expect the revised salaries to be reflected in their bank accounts from July 20.
Dr Muturi described the salary increase as a significant milestone in improving teachers' welfare and boosting morale in the profession.
"When the teacher is paid well, they stay motivated to teach the learner well and ensure they excel," he said.
Beyond salary improvements, the TSC chairman announced that more than 270,000 teachers had been promoted over the last three years, with another 35,000 promotion opportunities set to be advertised in August after the government allocated Sh2 billion for the exercise.
"The government has promoted 270,000 in the last three years. The government has set aside money for more promotions, and we are urging all eligible teachers to apply," Muturi said.
He also announced that TSC had received Sh4.8 billion to convert 20,000 junior school intern teachers into permanent and pensionable employment, addressing concerns raised by thousands of teachers who have served on internship terms since 2023.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba defended the government's increased investment in education, saying the sector had received 30 per cent of the national budget for the 2026/2027 financial year—the highest allocation since Kenya attained independence.
Ogamba noted that the latest salary review comes amid sustained pressure from public sector unions seeking better pay to cushion workers against the rising cost of food, housing, fuel and transport.
