The Teacher Service Commission’s hardship allowances and areas fluctuate from time to time depending on the Collective Bargaining Agreement or pact between the teachers’ employer and the teachers’ union.
Hardship allowances are normally calculated as a percentage of salary, sometimes, 30 percent or more in areas, where it is particularly difficult or unpleasant to live and work.
The Teachers working in hardship areas face a myriad of challenges; from lack of water, flooding to hostile living conditions characterized by constant spates of attacks.
TSC hardship allowance varies from one group or grade to another with newly recruited teachers receiving the lowest perk.
Recently, the Government revised the hardship areas, scrapping some on the ground that they can no longer become considered to be hardship areas now that they have undergone major development in terms of availability of social amenities and all-weather roads.
TSC recently excluded Nyandarua county, Muranga county, Kandara sub-county, Kigumo sub-county, and Nyahururu from hardship areas due to improved infrastructure. Therefore, teachers posted in these areas will no longer get a monthly hardship allowance.
Teachers’ hardship allowances.
TSC listed and approved a total of 38 hardship areas in 2012, some of the factors were limited services and social amenities, high level of insecurity and/or probability of security threats, harsh climate conditions such as floods, drought, lack of sufficient food, Inadequate means of transport and communication networks.
List of counties that have been listed under hardship areas:
- Mandera County
- Turkana County
- Samburu County
- Wajir County
- West Pokot County
- Narok County
- Garissa County
- Marsabit County
- Isiolo County
- Tana River County
- Lamu County
- Kilifi County
- Kwale County
- Taita Taveta County
Recently, the commission added 4 new hardship areas due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The added areas were Baringo North, Tiaty East, Tiaty West, and Marigat sub-counties. Kajiado county- Loitoktok, Mashuuru and Kajiado West, Kitui County- Mumoni, Mutito North and Teikuru sub-counties, Homa Bay County- Suba and Mbita sub-counties.
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