TSC says budget cuts will affect teacher recruitment, training, implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the medical cover.

𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒/𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝟏

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

The National Assembly Committee on Education has raised concerns about the proposed Ksh 10.3 billion reduction in the budget for the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for the 2024/25 financial year.

The Committee chaired by Hon. Julius Melly heard from TSC CEO, Mrs. Nancy Macharia that the cuts would primarily impact recurrent expenditure, affecting areas including teacher recruitment, training, implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the medical cover.

TSC CEO, Mrs Nancy Macharia informed the Committee that the cuts would affect the Commission’s ability to implement the planned recruitment of 20,000 Junior Secondary School teachers in October 2024 and conversion of 46,000 interns to permanent status.

Lawmakers expressed particular concern about the impact the cuts would have on teacher recruitment, promotion, and the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed with teacher unions in August 2023. The CBA includes a salary increase of up to 9.5% spread over two years. However, the proposed budget cuts cast doubt on the availability of funds for this.

The Committee also raised alarm about the potential impact on the training of teachers, with a reduction of Kshs 262 million allocated for this purpose.

Furthermore, the proposed budget reduces the provision for medical cover, group life, and personal accident cover for teachers by 50%, creating a shortfall of Kshs 11.89 billion. This could jeopardize the continuation of the current three-year medical scheme for teachers in its third year.

The Committee Chair, Hon. Julius Melly, emphasized the importance of adequately funding the Ministry of Education and TSC, stating, “We ask Treasury to appropriate adequately. If it’s not funded, core ministries like Education and TSC will be crippled.”

The Committee directed the National Treasury to provide additional sources of funds to implement the CBA, medical scheme, recruitment of JSS interns, and promotion of teachers.

The TSC CEO, Ms. Macharia, confirmed a reduction in the development budget by Kshs 38 million, affecting ongoing capital projects, including construction of county offices and the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning Programme.

The overall reduction in the education sector budget is Kshs 33.3 billion, impacting all three State Departments under the Ministry of Education as well as the TSC.

In the meeting, Members of the Education Committee pledged to ensure that essential services for teachers and education are not compromised.

The Committee on Education is expected to meet with the State Department on Higher Education and the State Department on Technical, Vocational Education and Training on Thursday, July 18th 2024.