Tag Archives: TEACHERS’ PAYSLIPS

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This is what you must know about TSC teachers’ salaries

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, employs and pays teachers their monthly salaries plus allowances. The teachers’ pay is usually processed and paid as from 22nd of every month and onward. Once you are newly employed, the commission will appoint you to the payroll and you start earning as soon as your casualty form is received at the TSC head quarter and your file processed. The salaries are disbursed to teachers’ pay points; Banks or SACCOs.

Some teachers have committed unprecedented and irreversible financial mistakes that they live to rue for the rest of their teaching careers. These mistakes usually occur during the teacher’s hey days; when newly employed. Most teachers get employment when still young, enthusiastic and energetic. Some have ended up squandering the opportunity to invest well and spend their monies wisely leading to many years of cursing; the resultant effect being depression.

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Here are 10 points for your quick guidance. You must not follow all that is stated here, but some how you will get some insight.

  • NEVER OVER COMMIT YOUR PAYSLIP

When going for loans and savings, remember to give your payslip some breathing space. Long before the a third rule came, some teachers (and not only teachers but other civil servants too) used to walk home with net negative pay. This prompted the government to come up with the 1/3 rule. It is thus advisable to have some amount off and above your net pay; so that in case of an emergency then such amounts can come in handy in terms of securing an emergency loan.

  • WISE CHOICE OF INVESTMENTS

It is the aspiration of everyone that they at least have some investment. In fact, investments are good not only for the immediate gains but also during your sunset years. But, some investments are not worthwhile. With your first pay and/ or loan go for income generating assets/ activities or assets whose value appreciates with time like land. Unless you have other sources of income/ side hustles otherwise never rush for such luxurious assets like cars. Yes, cars are good but if your payslip is stifled up to the neck how will you maintain that car? Start a business, get a side hustle to supplement your pay. Take risks, be a go-getter.

  • AVOID ‘BAD’ LOANS

Do not be too quick to rush for bank loans. All that glitters is not gold! yes, with banks you can get your loan after just three months of service and you do not need to save for you to qualify for a loan. Before the interest capping rule came banks could adjust their interest rates at free will. You take a loan at 18% interest rate and it is adjusted to 22% the next day! And now that the capping law is gone, it spells more gloom for borrowers who will now operate at banks’ mercies. Bank loans are damn expensive with a myriad of hidden charges!

And, be nice Mwalimu. You let friends sign your SACCO loan form and then disappear into thin air leaving them in awe!

  • BUILD YOUR CAPITAL BASE SLOWLY

Never be in too much hurry some times. Build your capital base slowly and patiently. do not be too quick to be carried away by what you see. A colleague bought a car yesterday and you want to rush to the showroom the next morning! Mwalimu (teacher), be rational in your thinking.

  • TOP-UP LOANS IS A BIG NO.

Avoid top up loans, more so from banks, like leprosy. Consider this pathway when you are in a can’t avoid scenario. Banks will entice you to go for top ups. but, this will be a like a financial death sentence. You will be enslaved to these banks forever.

  • LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS

Cut a cloth according to your size. Not, because a colleague is driving a hot car and you also covet it! Do not borrow more than you can repay! Have your plans within your financial ability. Avoid big plans that may cause depression and anxiety to you.

  • SAVE! SAVE! SAVE!

Have a saving plan. Save even Sh100 bob monthly. Such small savings turn into humongous things slowly and without you realizing it. SACCOs are the best saving bets for a start.

  • ALL IS NOT ROSY AT ALL TIMES!

The early years of your employment are always glittering; in terms of ‘good’ pay. Then, your salary is not committed as such. This is followed by a quick common cadre promotion. You move to the next job group with a marginally increased perks. Wait until deductions get their way into your payslip! What follows is hell on earth; you stagnate in the same job group for a long time. And, if you were not born on a Friday, luck will be so elusive that you end up retiring in the same job grade!

  • JOIN TEACHERS’ UNIONS

Do not see teachers’ unions as bothers. Those guys are very helpful when the waters become murkier and the going is tough. It would be need;less for you to be on agency fee (where you contribute money to the unions but you are not a member!). The TSC code of regulations and conduct is harsh, very harsh. You may find yourself on the wrong side of the code, by design, hard luck, coincidence or mere fabrication. That is when you realize the importance of teachers’ unions.

  • BE A MEMBER OF SOME WELFARE GROUP

There is a slogan that goes ‘UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL’. Do not be an island. Belong to some teachers’ welfare. There are so many out there. the common ones are BBFs (Burial Benevolent Funds). Above all, make connections. Have friends and social connections. AVOID UNNECESSARY CONFRONTATIONS AT YOUR PLACE OF WORK. Be aggressive. Apart from teaching, participate in one or two co-curricular activities. Drama, Music, Ball games, athletics… name it.

KNEC News Portal, TSC News Portal

TSC intern teachers’ salaries and deductions

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has come under intense criticism after it emerged that intern teachers’ May, 2020 salaries were slashed to cater for union dues. The teachers who are working on contract with the teachers service commission (TSC) cried foul after the employer deducted Sh270 in form of union dues.

This latest deduction has seen the pay for the interns drop to even lower levels; considering they earn a meager monthly gross pay of Sh15,000.

It is the silence from the Kuppet top brass that has annoyed the affected teachers who are agitating for reimbursement of the deducted amounts.

But, a quick fact check shows that Kuppet did not sanction for the deductions. The move is as a result of the llabour relations laws that compel the employer to slash a certain amount from employees. This amount is referred to as agency fee. Agency fee is a new concept in Kenya having been introduced by the Labour Relations Act, 2007. This is a sum paid out to a trade union by non union-members, for benefiting from a negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement.  The Cabinet Secretary (in charge of Labour) has to authorize such deductions. The money is meant for negotiating a contract, representing employees in grievances and arbitration, and lobbying activities to foster collective bargaining negotiations or secure advocates.

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Currently, non Knut members pay two per cent of their basic salary as agency fees while Kuppet members part with 1.5 per cent.

STATUTORY DEDUCTIONS

The deduction of Sh270 from the secondary schools’ intern teachers represents 1.8% agency fee deduction; which is above the 1.5% that kuppet agreed to take during the signing of the current collective bargaining agreement  (CBA).

A secondary school intern teacher loses a further Sh200 to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), monthly. Another Sh600 is also slashed towards the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) which is statutory deduction affecting all government employees.

It now remains to be seen as to whether Kuppet will refund the deducted amounts in coming days.

KNEC News Portal, TSC News Portal

Teachers’ salaries: Who will save private and BOM teachers?

If you thought you are suffering due to the covid 19 pandemic as a result of the ripple effects caused by the covid 19 pandemic and you are still earning, just sit back and think of millions of Kenyans who have lost jobs or whose pay has been suspended. This is the scenario facing the teachers employed by Boards of Management (BOMs) and private schools. Days, and now months, have passed without these teachers laying sight on their salaries.

Imagine having a family to support, a myriad of basic needs to meet and to make matters worse living in a town (with no side hustle!). This is like living in hell on earth.

The last time some of these teachers earned was back in December, 2019! And with schools closed as a result of the covid 19 pandemic it has become practically impossible for school heads to meet the salary demands for the tutors plus other support staff. School management boards have since sent them on unpaid leave; until normalcy reigns.

Attempts by these teachers to have the attention of the education ministry’s cabinet secretary have been an exercise in futility. Elected leaders have turned a deaf ear on them.

GOVERNMENT FUNDS FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS

The government has been disbursing Sh1000 weekly to each family under the government cash transfer program for those identified as vulnerable. The cash is to enable them meet their basic needs during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been calls to integrate BOM and private schools’ teachers into the programme.

Going without cash for close to one year (given that the earliest schools can be reopened is September) is tricky. Someone needs to come to the aid of these teachers.

KUPPET WADES INTO BOM TEACHERS’ SALARY CIRCUS

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has waded into the debate; asking the government to pay the over 72,000 teachers working on BOM terms.

“Since the first case of Covid19 in Kenya was announced on 13th March 2020 subsequent closure of schools on 15th March 2020, about 72,000 workforces of teachers comprising of what is commonly referred to as Board of Management (BOM) teachers lost their jobs,” says kuppet national chairman Omboko Milemba.

He wonders why the ministry of education ordered for the reimbursement of Sh720 million unused activity money that had been sent to public schools; adding that the money could have been utilized to pay salaries for staff at school level.

A screenshot showing how BOM teachers are suffering, silently.

Cash for the BOM teachers has been coming through the ministry’s fees capitation. And since the money is budgeted for, it would be prudent for the government to release the portion of the Personal Emoluments vote head to cushion the BOM staff.

Also read;
KENYANS ONLINE ROUTE FOR PAYMENT OF BOM TEACHERS’ SALARIES

Here are sampled comments on salaries for BOM and private schools’ teachers (as shared on social media);

Irony Lady: “Its so sad seeing private and BoM teachers sink into depression. November and December they weren’t paid. Reason schools closed early and salary depends on school fees. From march up to date reason salary depends on school fees and corona. Why us?”

Mayaka Zachaeus: “The situation for BOM and private school teachers is worse than COVID 19.”

Chela: “The government has neglected hardworking teachers who are under BOM and Private schools. President Uhuru Kenyatta and ministry of Education should intervene on this since they are helping a Kenya child.”

Ng’iela David: “BOM as well as PTAs have employed over 500k teachers. Majority of these ,have not received salaries. We request to be included in the list of the vulnerable Kenyans.We can no longer offer our services in this country.Not even to our neighbour’s kids.”

Pius Sigei: “Mr president, kindly listen to everyone who is at distress during this Covid19 pandemic more so BOM teachers and those who teach in private schools. Please and kindly.”

F. Onyango: “Mr President please mind BOM and Private school teachers.They are also booster of Kenyan economy.”

KNEC News Portal, TSC News Portal

Current salary for Primary school teacher II (T-scale 5; formerly job group G)

TSC Primary school teacher II (T-scale 5; formerly job group G) is an entry grade for Primary school teachers. The basic requirements for this grade are: having a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) minimum mean Grade C (Plain) or other recognized equivalent qualifications; and must be in possession of a Primary Teacher Certificate (PTE) or its approved equivalent. These tutors earn monthly basic salaries of Sh21,756.

The basic salaries for these teachers are paid depending on the areas where they work. Teachers who work in Nairobi get a slightly higher house allowance compared to those plying their trade in rural schools. But, all these tutors earn an equal amount of commuter allowance; which is Sh4,000.

To know your exact salary, check your current salary (under the current salary column) and move along the row to the right. what you see under gross pay is what you will earn before deductions.

Those working in hardship areas (get Sh6,600) plus those handling physically challenged students get extra allowances.

Remember, the commission pays a flat rate of Sh4,000 per year as leave allowance. This is paid together with the January salaries.

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The tables below show the salary scales for primary school teacher 1 for July 2020-2021.

Table 1: Salaries for primary school teacher 1 working in Nairobi.
SALARY POINTS JOB GROUP GRADE CURRENT SALARY SALARY JULY 2020 COMMUTER ALLOWANCE HOUSE ALLOWANCE GROSS SALARY: JULY 2020-2021
1 G B5 21,756 21,756 4,000 6,750 32,506
2 G B5 21,749 21,749 4,000 6,750 32,499
3 G B5 23,787 23,787 4,000 6,750 34,537
4 G B5 24,873 24,873 4,000 6,750 35,623
5 G B5 26,008 26,008 4,000 6,750 36,758
6 G B5 27,195 27,195 4,000 6,750 37,945

 

Table 2: Salaries for primary school teacher 1 working in former major municipalities (Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Malindi and Kitale)
SALARY POINTS JOB GROUP GRADE CURRENT SALARY SALARY JULY 2020 COMMUTER ALLOWANCE HOUSE ALLOWANCE GROSS SALARY: JULY 2020-2021
1 G B5 21,756 21,756 4,000 4,500 30,256
2 G B5 21,749 21,749 4,000 4,500 30,249
3 G B5 23,787 23,787 4,000 4,500 32,287
4 G B5 24,873 24,873 4,000 4,500 33,373
5 G B5 26,008 26,008 4,000 4,500 34,508
6 G B5 27,195 27,195 4,000 4,500 35,695

 

Table 3: Salaries for primary school teacher 1 working in other former municipalities
SALARY POINTS JOB GROUP GRADE CURRENT SALARY SALARY JULY 2020 COMMUTER ALLOWANCE HOUSE ALLOWANCE GROSS SALARY: JULY 2020-2021
1 G B5 21,756 21,756 4,000 3,850 29,606
2 G B5 21,749 21,749 4,000 3,850 29,599
3 G B5 23,787 23,787 4,000 3,850 31,637
4 G B5 24,873 24,873 4,000 3,850 32,723
5 G B5 26,008 26,008 4,000 3,850 33,858
6 G B5 27,195 27,195 4,000 3,850 35,045

 

Table 4: Salaries for primary school teacher 1 working in other areas
SALARY POINTS JOB GROUP GRADE CURRENT SALARY SALARY JULY 2020 COMMUTER ALLOWANCE HOUSE ALLOWANCE GROSS SALARY: JULY 2020-2021
1 G B5 21,756 21,756 4,000 3,200 28,956
2 G B5 21,749 21,749 4,000 3,200 28,949
3 G B5 23,787 23,787 4,000 3,200 30,987
4 G B5 24,873 24,873 4,000 3,200 32,073
5 G B5 26,008 26,008 4,000 3,200 33,208
6 G B5 27,195 27,195 4,000 3,200 34,395