MPs propose a Bill that will introduce new allowances for teachers: See the 9 TSC allowances
Members of Parliament in Kenya have presented the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, with the objective of improving the organization and equity of teacher allowances. Sponsored by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, the bill intends to amend the Teachers Service Commission Act of 2012 to establish a clear and predictable framework for the disbursement of allowances to teachers.
Key Provisions of the Bill
Introduction of Specific Allowances: The bill puts forth a new ‘Schedule Four’ that enumerates nine categories of allowances that may be awarded to teachers under particular conditions:
Housing Allowance
Commuter Allowance
Hardship Allowance
Leave Allowance
Transfer Allowance
Special School Allowance
Reader’s Facilitation Allowance
Responsibility Allowance
Acting Allowance
Among these allowances, only the responsibility allowance will be pensionable if accrued up to and including the final date of service; the remaining allowances are non-pensionable.
Structured Acting Appointments
The bill introduces Section 32A, which delineates a systematic process for appointing teachers to acting roles. It specifies that a teacher may be appointed in an acting capacity for a duration ranging from a minimum of 30 days to a maximum of six months, provided that the teacher fulfills all stipulated qualifications. Teachers serving in acting capacities will be entitled to a special duty allowance and may only occupy one acting position concurrently.
Consultation with Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC): The bill requires that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) consults with the SRC when determining the allowances to be granted to teachers, thereby ensuring transparency and coherence in remuneration.
Public Participation
The National Assembly has extended an invitation to the public and stakeholders to present their opinions and memoranda regarding the bill to the Departmental Committee on Education by May 9, 2025, in accordance with Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution and Standing Order 127(3).
This legislative initiative arises amidst heightened advocacy from teachers’ unions for better compensation and working conditions. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has proposed a 60 percent increase in basic pay and enhanced allowances in its proposed collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the TSC.
Concurrently, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet) has requested basic salary increases ranging from 50 to 100 percent along with additional allowances, including a risk allowance for science educators.
If enacted, the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is anticipated to establish a more organized and equitable framework for teacher allowances, addressing long-standing issues and improving the welfare of educators nationwide. This development is expected to motivate teachers throughout the country, thereby elevating educational standards.