Hardship areas as listed by TSC and Hardship allowance rates per job group

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, pays extra allowances (hardship allowances) to teachers working in areas classified as hardship. While classifying an area to be a hardship area, the locality must meet any of these conditions:

• Lack of or unavailability or inaccessibility to food,
• Inadequate transport and communication network,
• Limited basic social services and amenities,
• Persistent harsh climatic conditions like flooding, landslides and drought,
• Insecurity and high possibility of security threats.

Hardship allowance is therefore paid in an effort to compensate for the cost of living for teachers working in areas designated as hardship. Like stated above, teachers working in hardship areas face a myriad of challenges; from lack of water, flooding to hostile living conditions characterized by constant spates of attacks.

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• Current allowances paid to Teachers in Kenya by the Teachers Service Commission: Hardship allowance.

Hardship allowances

In December, 2014, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, SRC, reviewed hardship allowance to be paid at a flat rate for all equivalent grades/ job groups. The Commission effectively abolished the pegging of the hardship allowance as a percentage of basic pay.

The table below summarizes the monthly hardship allowance rates that are paid to teachers working in hardship areas; per job group:

TSC designated hardship areas.

TSC has designated various areas as hardship. The areas considered as hardship include those that are prone to terrorism, famine and aridity. As of 2012, TSC had about 38 areas approved as hardship.

Currently, teachers teaching in schools located in some parts of the following counties receive monthly hardship allowances.