By Charles Ngeno
Kenya: Teachers across the country have expressed disappointment after the government failed to factor in commuter allowance in their August salaries.
Teachers who talked to Education said they were shocked that they had not been paid the enhanced commuter allowance even after being promised by the government.
“It is disappointing that the Government has not honoured its part of the bargain yet it had promised to pay us,” said a teacher from Narok.
Most teachers said they had budgeted for the amount that they hoped would have been backdated to July.
But when contacted officials from the two giant unions said the Treasury did not send the money to the TSC.
Knut National Chairman Wison Sossion and Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori confirmed that the money had not been released by the Treasury, but assured teachers that it shall be paid next month.
“We are waiting for the drafting of the implementation circular on commuter allowances to be released soon. Teachers be informed that it will be backdated to July and paid in arrears,” said Sossion
On his part Misori assured teachers that the Government has promised to honour its part of the bargain.
“We want to tell our members not to feel cheated. We have communicated with the employer and they have given us assurance that teachers will be paid at the end of September,” said Misori.
23-day strike
Recently teachers called off a 23-day strike after the Government pledged to raise their commuter allowance.
In the deal, the teachers are to be paid the allowance in two phases over a period of twelve months.
Following the deal, the Government through the Teachers Service Commission has withdrawn the contempt of court charges it had filed against Knut, after the union failed to comply with a July 1 court order from the Industrial Court that outlawed the strike and directed the teachers to engage the government in negotiations.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter