Pay deal will be honoured, teachers told

Teachers have been assured by their employer that the collective bargaining agreements that they signed in October last year will be implemented fully.

The Teachers Service Commission head of communication Kihumba Kamotho, in a statement, said the commission has been in touch with the National Treasury and an assurance has already been given that funds for the implementation of the CBAs have been set aside.

“The implementation will commence on July 1 as scheduled and in line with the provisions in the CBAs,” said Mr Kamotho.

He went on: “The Commission is currently working on the implementation modalities of the CBAs which will be completed before the commencement date of the agreements and teachers will be informed accordingly.”

Mr Kamotho assured all teachers, stakeholders and the public that there is no cause for alarm as the CBAs will be implemented.

“Teachers should not be distracted from their important responsibility of teaching the country’s 12 million learners in public learning institutions,” said the head of communication.

He was reacting to media reports that teachers may not get a salary increase from July 1 because money for implementation of the CBAs has not been secured.

The first phase of the Sh54 billion four-year deal is expected to cost Sh13.7 billion.

The proposed 2017/18 budget estimates indicate that Sh100 billion has been set aside for salary increases for all public servants starting July.

A total of Sh2 billion has been allocated for recruitment of 5,000 teachers against the current shortage of 87,000.

Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary-general Wilson Sossion warned that any delay in implementation of the CBA will not be accepted.

“We shall promptly bring learning to a standstill and remain out until we have money in our accounts. TSC must release the CBA implementations schedule immediately,” said Mr Sossion in a statement.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers secretary-general Akelo Misori said teachers must get the pay rise by July next year.

“Anybody trying to fool the teachers will face the music and it is TSC who will be shocked not the teachers,” said Mr Misori.

More than 298,000 teachers are expected to benefit from the deal. TSC has been allocated Sh200 billion, up from Sh192 billion, this current financial year.

The highest paid teacher currently earns between Sh109,089 and Sh144,928, while the lowest gets Sh21,756 which will go up to Sh27,195 with the increase. The highest paid will get between Sh131,380 and Sh157,656.