Teachers who exit service through resignation or dismissal to get pension- TSC announces

Teachers who exit service through resignation or dismissal will now be entitled to receive their terminal benefits, provided they exited service from April 6, 2018 onwards.

The directive follows the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between the Commission and teachers’ unions, which for the first time formally extended terminal benefit entitlements to teachers who do not exit through retirement or natural attrition.

The move is expected to provide financial relief to thousands of former teachers and their dependents, while also streamlining benefit claims through clear documentation and verification channels at Sub-County and County levels.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Acting CEO, Everleen Mitei in a circular dated August 18, 2025, stated that claims for terminal benefits will be processed by the National Treasury once teachers or their beneficiaries submit the required documents through their respective TSC Sub-County Directors.

“This policy directive is applicable to all teachers who exited service after 6th April, 2018 on account of dismissal or resignation. The affected teachers or their beneficiaries are required to contact the nearest TSC County or Sub-County Office for guidance on the required documentation,” read the circular.

The Sub-County Directors will be responsible for verifying accuracy and completeness of the documents before forwarding them to the County Directors and eventually to the TSC Headquarters for processing.

Teachers seeking benefits must provide copies of their National ID, bank account details, KRA PIN certificate, promotion letters, and completed gratuity and pension forms, among other records.

Male teachers employed on or before December 31, 2020 are also required to submit their earliest pay slip showing WCPS deductions, while those with previous service under the former Teachers Union Service must attach their NSSF statements.

Beneficiaries of deceased teachers must submit the original death certificate, confirmation of next of kin by the area chief, certified IDs, KRA PIN certificates, bank details, and children’s birth and school documents, among others.

The decision addresses long-standing demands by teachers’ unions that those leaving service under non-retirement circumstances should not be unfairly excluded from benefits accrued during their service years.

Previously, resignation or dismissal often meant forfeiting claims to lump sum gratuities or pensions, leaving affected teachers and their families without financial support.

By aligning the benefits to apply retrospectively from April 2018, the Commission seeks to bring equity to cases where teachers who had served for years lost their entitlements upon dismissal or voluntary resignation.