The Teachers Service Commission is a national, independent human resource wing for teachers in Kenya.
The primary responsibility of the body is to appoint teachers and provide the same terms and conditions of service.
Over the years, there have been various upheavals in the remuneration of teachers based on the prevailing collective bargaining agreements.
Now, the TSC allowances per work group are slightly different. What is the latest allowance amount for teachers?
The proposed collective bargaining agreement for 2021-2025 will be effective from July 2021.
It has new pay and allowances for teachers of different grades. However, this is yet to begin, and teachers are still enjoying perks from the current CBA.
*What are the current TSC Pay Scale and Allowances?*
*Classification of workstation of Teachers. *
In Kenya, teachers do not receive a uniform allowance under the Teachers Service Commission.
They are paid according to their job group and workstation. It is also necessary to remember that only pensionable and permanent teachers get allowances.
*Teachers Service Commission. The following are the workstation classifications made by the Wage and Remuneration Commission:*
*Nairobi.*
The former major municipalities (Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Malindi and Kitale).
Other former municipalities; Ruiru, Kikuyu, Kitui, Machakos, Malolongo, Athi River, Vihiga, Wote, Mumias, Bomet, Limuru, Kericho, Kimilili, Kakamega, Kapsbet, Kiambu, Bungoma, Webuye, Busia, Runyenges, Migori, Embu, Homa Bay, Lodwar Meru , Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Maua, Voi, Siaya, Chuka and Kerugoya/Kutu.
other areas; This includes all the areas not mentioned in Bullets 1-3 above.
Teachers working in the Nairobi area get the highest perks compared to those working for their trade in remote areas.
Additionally, teachers in the higher job group get a bigger allowance than those in the lower groups.
Therefore, teachers are paid allowances based on rank and job responsibilities and the areas they work in.
*Types of Allowances to be paid by TSC*
Although most teachers’ allowances are paid monthly, some are lump-sum. Teachers are paid remuneration or compensatory allowances.
*Remunerative Allowances *
Remuneration allowances are credited along with the salary of the teacher. Therefore, it is often presented to the teacher monthly when their salary is due.
*Automatic allowances*
These allowances are automatically paid monthly to the teachers. It also includes:
House
Medicare (no longer available to teachers; paid directly to Minet Insurance and another to NHIF)
Commuter
Suffering
Holiday allowance
TSC House Allowance is one of the most common and is paid monthly to all the teachers.
The allowance follows the standard norms, which is the job grade and workstation of the teacher. Higher the grade of the job, higher will be the house allowance.
Hardship Allowance for Teachers is credited to teachers monthly. This allowance is given to a teacher who works in an area with insecurity, high risk and harsh climatic conditions.
Commuter Allowance is also paid monthly as per the job group of the teacher.
Another allowance that teachers get in Kenya is the annual paid leave allowance, which is slightly different from the others. Also, it is paid based on the grade of the teacher. Payment is made on application.
The allowances paid on the application include 5 options. As the name suggests, these are not automatically applied to monthly or yearly teacher salaries, but one has to apply.
*Responsibility allowance*
Only headmasters in job group K and below enjoy responsibility allowance.
*Special duty allowance*
Special Duty Allowance is paid to teachers below job group M appointed by the Commission to administrative posts and posted in arid and semi-arid areas.
*Interpreter allowance*
Interpreter allowance is given to deaf teachers during study leave.
*Relocation allowance*
Transfer allowance is paid to the teachers who have been shifted from their work centre, which is started by the commission.
This includes the basic monthly salary of a teacher.
*Reader allowance*
Reader’s Allowance, aka Facilitation or Assistance Allowance, is given to visually impaired teachers who meet certain conditions.
It is paid at the rate of Shs 15,000 per month to blind teachers and teachers who are confined to wheel chairs on the basis of their disability.
*Reimbursable expenses*
The reimbursement allowance is paid to the teachers only on application. TSC reimburses only travel expenses and quota per day.
The commission has specified the conditions under which a teacher qualifies for reimbursement of travel expenses, such as traveling from a duty station outside the home district on retirement.
Quota per day is paid to teachers who are on official assignments. Any applicant must submit their request 14 days prior to travel.
*TSC Allowances Per Job Group*
As discussed above, teachers get allowances as per their job groups for primary and secondary school levels.
*TSC House Allowance per job group*
Teachers in higher job groups get a higher house allowance than their counterparts in lower groups.
For example, one in job group D5 and works in Nairobi, receives Ksh.50,000. On the other hand, a person working in a similar group and in other major municipalities gets a housing allowance of Ksh.35,000.
*TSC Commuter Allowance Per Job Group*
Commuter allowances are based on job groups. Teachers in B5 and C1 job groups get a stipend of Ksh.4,000, while teachers in C2, C3 and C4 get Ksh.5,000, Ksh.6,000 and Ksh.8,000 respectively.
TSC commuter allowance for teachers increases with higher job groups, D5 gets Ksh.16,000.
*Hardship allowance per job group*
The hardship allowance of teachers increases gradually according to the TSC job groups and their pay scale. A teacher in the B5 category gets a hardship allowance of Ksh.6,600, while a teacher in the D5 category gets Ksh.38,100.
*TSC Leave Allowance Per job Group*
Leave allowance for teachers in job groups B5 to C1 is Ksh.4,000, while for teachers in job groups C2, C3, C4, and C5 is Ksh.6,000. Teachers of category D1 to D5 get leave allowance of Ksh.10,000 every year.
The existing TSC allowance per job group is expected to change after implementing the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement, where teachers get a better deal.
Teachers have been constantly fighting for better pay for years, and these CBAs provide the right path to better working conditions.
