The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced steps to revise the 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) it signed with teachers unions.
The Commission is asking for Sh56 billion over the next four years, beginning in July 2023, to enhance teacher salaries from B5 to D5.
Although trade unions signed the 2021–2025 CBA, it lacked monetary value, which Nancy Macharia stated would now be reviewed.
“The commission negotiated a non-monetary 2021-2025 CBA with the teacher unions pursuant to the advisory from the Salaries Review Commission. It was agreed that the CBA be reviewed mid-term if the economic situation would improve in the country,” Dr Macharia told members of the National Assembly Education and Research Committee chaired by Julius Melly on Tuesday.
“The Commission would wish to review the 2021-2025 CBA, more specifically the salary component with an aim to motivate teachers under the employment of the Commission.” She added.
“Accordingly, we request this Committee to support the Commission get Sh14 billion per year for four years to cater for the same.”
Dr. Macharia also announced intentions to hire 20,000 new teachers in the coming fiscal year to solve a labor deficit, mostly at the junior secondary school level.
She requested that Parliament allocate Sh3.8 billion to the Commission for recruitment in the next budget, which will be presented in June.
The announcement comes barely a month after the TSC hired 30,000 teachers, the vast majority of whom were assigned to junior secondary schools, with each receiving at least one member of staff.
Stakeholders have raised concerns about the school staffing crisis, claiming that one teacher was insufficient to manage all of the 12 subjects available at the junior secondary school level.
Nonetheless, Dr. Macharia stated that the Commission was resolved to address the teacher shortage, which stood at 116,000 at the start of this year.
Dr Macharia also asked Parliament’s Education Committee to advocate for the clearance of Sh2.2 billion for the promotion of 14,000 teachers who had been stuck in one job grade for too long.
“The commission has received several requests from teachers, teacher unions, stakeholders among others on promotion of teachers who have stagnated in the same job group over the years and also those who have attained higher qualifications,” Dr Macharia said.
She added: “Admittedly, we have not been able to promote these teachers because the commission has not received promotion funds since the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement. This has in turn tainted the Commission’s image.”
To address the stagnation outcry, “the Commission requires Ksh2.2 billion to carry out the promotion of teachers in different job cadres.
