More than 186,000 teachers are set to receive a pay rise from July this year as part of the implementation of the Second Phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between their unions and the Teachers Service Commission, TSC.
The beneficiaries, who largely work in primary schools, are crossing their fingers that their employer’s Shs18 billion budget, which will allow them to receive the improved salary, will be approved by Parliament.
Those to benefit are in the lowest grades of the teaching service at Job Groups H (128,047 teachers), J (15,140 teachers), and K (43,557 teachers), whose pay package was spread for two years under the negotiated salaries while those in higher Job Groups will have their salaries cleared in a four-year cycle.
A detailed budget proposal of Shs18 billion tabled before the National Assembly Education Committee and seen by Education News indicates that part of these monies will be utilized in the implementation of the Shs54 billion CBA that will run for a period of four years (2022 -2025).
Under the new deal, primary teachers at Grade B5 (formerly Job Group ‘H’) who are currently drawing Shs19,224 monthly will earn Shs21,756 from July this year. This cadre of teachers can progressively draw up to a maximum of Shs27,195 in basic salaries within this pay bracket.
Those teachers at Grade C1 (formerly Job Group ‘J’) who take home Ksh 25,929 currently will be happy to receive Shs27,195 in basic salaries in July this year.
On the other hand, their counterparts at Grade C2 (formerly Job Group K) who currently receive Shs32,988 will have their pockets improved to earn Shs34,955 this July. The educators under this category can earn up to a maximum of Shs43,694.
This means that teachers in higher Job Groups will be ineligible for higher pay this July but would be getting a handsome reward in the last two phases of the CBA.
Speaking before the Committee, TSC Chief Executive Officer, Nancy Macharia reiterated that the implementation of the CBA that would benefit all the 312,060 teachers under its employment was a priority and asked the legislators to push for the approval of the funds as this would assure industrial peace within the teaching service.
