TSC BOSS NANCY MACHARIA BREAKS HER SILENCE ON TEACHERS’ NEW SALARIES

In summary:

Dr Nancy Macharia, the TSC CEO has finally spoken about the proposals given to the TSC by KNUT and KUPPET.

She says the commission is looking into KUPPET’s proposal to have the teachers’ house allowances harmonized.

KNUT proposes to have the teachers’ salaries tripled with the lowest-paid teacher earning a basic salary of sh 65, 268.

KNUT’s rival KUPPET, on the other hand, is proposing a salary increase of 30 and 70 per cent during the next phase of implementing the CBA.

The Teachers Service Commission boss Dr Nancy Macharia has finally offered her views regarding the 2021-2015 Collective Bargaining Power.

Regarding KNUT’s proposal, TSC and KNUT have agreed to re-establish a committee to speed up the process of implementing the next CBA for the year 2021-2023.

She said that the commission is also looking into the proposal by KUPPET which seeks to harmonize house allowances for teachers.

KUPPET proposes that the house allowance should be equal, not based on the teacher’s job group or geographical location.

It seems that KUPPET has already smitten TSC’s heart since it is already agreed that the two groups shall hold a joint retreat soon to evaluate the progress and glaring gaps in the current CBA.

The retreat will also provide an avenue for discussing and laying the ground for the implementation of the next CBA.

TRIPLED SALARIES
KNUT has asked the TSC to triple teachers’ salaries within the next two years.
The details of the new salaries are contained in the next CBA for 2021-2023 which will replace the current CBA.

According to KNUT’s proposal, the basic salary of the lowest-paid teacher should be sh 65, 268 as opposed to the current sh 27, 195.

Last week, KNUT’s team led by their chairman Wycliffe Omuchenyi held a meeting at the TSC to table their proposal.

The embattled KNUT’s Secretary General Mr Sossion was absent following leadership wrangles within the union.

ALLOWANCES
The Teachers Service Commission is allocated a budget of Sh 251 billion and it has got 318, 000 teachers to manage.

KNUT has therefore proposed that Senior Principals should earn sh 260, 132 whereas principals pocket sh 230, 000 every month.

It also proposes that Secondary Teacher I and Senior Teacher I should earn a basic salary of sh 129, 000.

The union further wants annual increments awarded from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2023.

House allowance should also be adjusted to 50 % as of July 1, 2021.

On hardship allowance, the union wants it increased from the current range that is sh 6, 600- sh 38, 000 to between sh 32, 634 and sh 144, 518.

The union also wants all teachers handling technical and science subjects to be given a risk allowance at the rate of 10% of their salary.

Commuter allowances should be increased from the current sh 4, 000 to sh 16, 000 to sh 6, 000 to sh, 24, 000.

Leave allowance, on the other hand, should be equivalent to one month’s salary and payable annually.

KUPPET’S PROPOSAL
KUPPET is proposing a salary increment of between 30 to 70 per cent in the 2021-2025 CBA.

The lowest-paid teacher should earn a basic salary of sh 36, 985.
On house allowance, KUPPET proposes a uniform range between sh 6, 750 and sh 45, 000.

TSC boss Nancy Macharia said TSC is looking into the union’s proposal on harmonizing house allowances for teachers.