TSC’s failure to pay allowances to 99,000 teachers angers MPs

MPs express concerns over TSC’s delay in paying allowances to 99,000 teachers despite budget provisions

Members of the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Committee on Education have voiced their worries regarding the failure to pay allowances to a significant number of teachers, even though funds have been allocated for this purpose in the budget.

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has disclosed that a record 99,000 teachers currently holding acting positions have not received the allowances they are entitled to, despite these funds being included in the national budget.

During a discussion with stakeholders about the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment Bill), 2024—which aims to provide special allowances to teachers in acting roles—KUPPET Secretary General Omboko Milemba brought attention to the issue of unpaid allowances. He emphasized that these teachers are suffering due to the failure to release funds that they are legally owed.

The bill, introduced by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, faced opposition from various stakeholders, including the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Public Service Commission (PSC), Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the State Law Office, the Auditor General’s office, and the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC).

Despite the pushback, Omboko Milemba strongly supported the bill, urging the committee to pass it to help alleviate the hardships faced by teachers nationwide.

“Thousands of teachers are currently serving in various acting roles without receiving their allowances. The number of teachers in these positions has increased significantly over the years,” Milemba stated.

“TSC is failing to compensate teachers for their extra work. This is why we back the bill—to ensure these teachers receive the support they deserve,” he added.

However, the National Assembly’s Education Committee, chaired by Julius Melly (Tinderet), questioned the necessity of the bill, suggesting it would not be needed if TSC had effectively fulfilled its responsibilities.

“This bill is a desperate response to TSC’s inability to promptly fill vacant positions,” Melly commented. “How can 99,000 teachers be in acting roles without pay when the budget already has the funds? We demand a thorough explanation regarding the numbers and the reasons for this delay.”

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera also called for complete transparency on the matter. “We need detailed information on the number of teachers in acting positions, how much they have been paid, how much they are still owed, and the reasons for the payment delays,” he stated.

In response, the TSC, KLRC, Attorney General, and PSC opposed the proposed legislation, arguing that the necessary changes could be made through existing regulations rather than through new legislation.

“The commission believes that the legislative amendments suggested by the Honorable Member should wait for the expected reforms in the education and teaching sector,” said Allan Sitima, Senior Deputy Director of Legal Services at TSC.