Teachers to be paid on time despite IFMIS breakdown, TSC says

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) head of communication Kamotho Kihumba said the process of paying was finalised on Friday.

"Banks have started releasing money to teachers,” said Mr Kihumba.

There had been concerns that with the breakdown of IFMIS teachers will not get their salaries on time.

An internal memo sent by the TSC, whose copy the Nation had obtained, spelt out the crisis and urged for patience.

“The GoK, Ifmis has since December 14, to date been very slow and sometimes goes out completely making the ongoing payment processing incomplete,” read the memo from the TSC’s acting director of accounts Grace Ngure, to all directors.

Ms Ngure, in the memo dated December 20, adds that the National Treasury technical team had been contacted and was currently handling the matter and had indicated that the issue was nationwide.

“In this regard, I request you to bear with us as the problem is being sorted out,” stated the memo copied to TSC chairperson Lydia Nzomo and Commission Secretary Nancy Macharia.

TSC, with an annual budget of Sh192 billion, employs more than 290,000 teachers and together with counties are the biggest employers in the country.

Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General Wilson Sossion warned the government against delaying teachers’ salaries.