Teachers push for 70 per cent pay increase

Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia. [Elvis Ogina,  Standard]

A teachers’ union is pushing for a 70 per cent pay rise.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) wants salaries of teachers (C2) who currently earn Sh34,955 to take home Sh74,279.

While those who earn Sh131,380 per month to be paid Sh204,952, an increase of 30 per cent.

This is part of the demands that the union will put on the table tomorrow during a meeting called by the employer to discuss pay.

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has invited Kuppet and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) to a salary review meeting at the Kenya School of Government.

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori said the union will reject the seven to 10 per cent salary proposed by the Salary and Remunerations Commission (SRC).

“We shall focus on where our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) talks stalled. We shall not slide to new proposals because we had already started talks on the salaries,” said Misori.

The SRC proposals mean that the lowest-paid teacher who takes home Sh34,955 will get a maximum of Sh46,752. While those presently earning Sh131,380 will get a maximum of Sh168,691 per month.

A letter by TSC calling for the meeting says the unions and the employer will review the 2021-2025 CBA.

Misori said that basic salary increment, promotions, medical benefits and pension scheme will top their agenda. 

He said that the 30-70 per cent demand by Kuppet is informed by the high cost of living which has reduced teachers’ disposable income.

Misori said the inflation rate has risen over time and teachers are not able to afford basic needs.

“The statutory deductions introduced recently namely the housing tax, superannuation pension scheme and NSSF have contributed to net income reduction thereby affecting productivity of teachers,” said Misori.

He also said that majority of teachers have stagnated in same job group for long even after enhancing their academics.

“Many graduate teachers in job Group C3 have stagnated for more than five years while many diploma teachers have stagnated in grade C2. We propose a creation of more establishments in C4 to allow career progression,” Misori said.

He blamed the employer for not implementing the career progression guidelines on promotions which has seen some 46,550 teachers stagnate in same job group.