TEACHERS SERVICE COMMISSION

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT (2025-2029) WITH  TEACHER UNIONS 

On 2^nd July 2025, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) invited officials of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), The Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) for consultative talks over the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The talks were a continuation of the CBA negotiation process, which started a year ago.

Today, we assembled here, at the Kenya Institute of Special Education, Nairobi, to finalise the CBA negotiations with the respective teacher unions in the public sector, in conformity with the Government’s commitment to institutionalise collective bargaining in the public service.

After the long journey of detailed and thorough negotiations, we are delighted to inform our more than 400,000 teachers that we have a CBA deal for the period 2025-2029, which we have signed with the elected representatives of KNUT, KUSNET, and KUPPET today.

As a Commission, our first commitment is to safeguard the welfare of our teachers, improve their terms and conditions of service, and ensure industrial peace and harmony in the public teaching service.

It is only through this commitment that collectively, as a teaching service, we can achieve the aspirations of our Constitution that guarantees compulsory quality basic education to all learners.

At the outset, we want to thank the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, for the overwhelming support he continues to accord the teaching service in particular, and the education sector at large.

Owing to the Government’s enormous support for the teaching service, the TSC will, in the 2025/2026 Financial Year: 

a) Recruit additional teachers at a cost of Sh2.4 Billion. Already, the Kenya Kwanza Government has recruited a total of 76,000 teachers in a span of just two and half years;

b) Promote teachers across all cadres at a cost of Sh1 Billion, and;

c) Re-tool Senior School teachers at a cost of Sh950 Million. 

Further, as a result of the Government’s investment in the teaching service, we have today signed a CBA with all teacher unions whose total cost is Sh33,753,372,108 net for a period of four years.

The first phase of the new CBA will be effective from 1^st July, 2025 at a cost of 8.4 Billion in salaries and allowances, with more than Sh1.2 Billion being employer’s contribution to the teacher’s Pension Scheme and other statutory deductions. 

In order to address the concerns raised by teachers through their unions, and after elaborate negotiations, the Commission has awarded a salary increment of up to 29.5% for our various cadres of staff.

This award is geared towards bridging the wage gap between the highest and lowest paid teacher in the public service. The details of the salary award are provided in Appendix 1:

APPENDIX 1: BASIC SALARY

In terms of Allowances, the Commission has increased the rates for payment of Baggage Allowance as provided in Appendix 2.

All other allowances for teachers remain unchanged as contained in the CBA that we have signed with the unions today.

APPENDIX 2: BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE 

Further, in the interest of the welfare of our teachers, we have agreed on the following: 

a) Teachers who exit service through dismissal shall be entitled to pension benefits. 

b) The Commission in consultation with other relevant Government agencies and the unions will conduct a Job Evaluation exercise for the teaching service within the financial year 2025/2026; 

c) Upon conclusion of the Job Evaluation exercise, the Commission will review the Career Progression Guidelines in consultation with the unions.

d) The Commission shall grant female lactating teachers two (2) hours’ time -off per day for two (2) months to breast feed.

It is our firm belief that through such progressive awards, the majority of the key concerns raised by the teachers have been fully addressed, and the Commission will be able to have a motivated, ethical and globally competitive teacher in its service.

We thank the leadership of the three teacher unions for working with the Commission, round the clock, to ensure that pertinent issues affecting our teachers are resolved through meaningful social dialogue so as to institutionalise collective bargaining in the teaching service.

We applaud all our teachers for the work they are doing, and the sacrifices they make each day, and the patience they have had with us as we negotiated with their unions. We undertake to double our efforts to serve you with dedication and commitment for the benefit of our learners. 

In conclusion, allow me to thank all persons who, in one way of the other, played a role in the realisation of the 2025-2029 CBA, including members of the Commission, the secretariat, the unions, the media fraternity and, of course, our teachers.

DR JAMLECK MUTURI JOHN, EBS
COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON

TEACHERS SERVICE COMMISSION

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT (2025-2029) WITH  TEACHER UNIONS 

On 2^nd July 2025, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) invited officials of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), The Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) for consultative talks over the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The talks were a continuation of the CBA negotiation process, which started a year ago.

Today, we assembled here, at the Kenya Institute of Special Education, Nairobi, to finalise the CBA negotiations with the respective teacher unions in the public sector, in conformity with the Government’s commitment to institutionalise collective bargaining in the public service.

After the long journey of detailed and thorough negotiations, we are delighted to inform our more than 400,000 teachers that we have a CBA deal for the period 2025-2029, which we have signed with the elected representatives of KNUT, KUSNET, and KUPPET today.

As a Commission, our first commitment is to safeguard the welfare of our teachers, improve their terms and conditions of service, and ensure industrial peace and harmony in the public teaching service.

It is only through this commitment that collectively, as a teaching service, we can achieve the aspirations of our Constitution that guarantees compulsory quality basic education to all learners.

At the outset, we want to thank the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, for the overwhelming support he continues to accord the teaching service in particular, and the education sector at large.

Owing to the Government’s enormous support for the teaching service, the TSC will, in the 2025/2026 Financial Year: 

a) Recruit additional teachers at a cost of Sh2.4 Billion. Already, the Kenya Kwanza Government has recruited a total of 76,000 teachers in a span of just two and half years;

b) Promote teachers across all cadres at a cost of Sh1 Billion, and;

c) Re-tool Senior School teachers at a cost of Sh950 Million. 

Further, as a result of the Government’s investment in the teaching service, we have today signed a CBA with all teacher unions whose total cost is Sh33,753,372,108 net for a period of four years.

The first phase of the new CBA will be effective from 1^st July, 2025 at a cost of 8.4 Billion in salaries and allowances, with more than Sh1.2 Billion being employer’s contribution to the teacher’s Pension Scheme and other statutory deductions. 

In order to address the concerns raised by teachers through their unions, and after elaborate negotiations, the Commission has awarded a salary increment of up to 29.5% for our various cadres of staff.

This award is geared towards bridging the wage gap between the highest and lowest paid teacher in the public service. The details of the salary award are provided in Appendix 1:

APPENDIX 1: BASIC SALARY

In terms of Allowances, the Commission has increased the rates for payment of Baggage Allowance as provided in Appendix 2.

All other allowances for teachers remain unchanged as contained in the CBA that we have signed with the unions today.

APPENDIX 2: BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE 

Further, in the interest of the welfare of our teachers, we have agreed on the following: 

a) Teachers who exit service through dismissal shall be entitled to pension benefits. 

b) The Commission in consultation with other relevant Government agencies and the unions will conduct a Job Evaluation exercise for the teaching service within the financial year 2025/2026; 

c) Upon conclusion of the Job Evaluation exercise, the Commission will review the Career Progression Guidelines in consultation with the unions.

d) The Commission shall grant female lactating teachers two (2) hours’ time -off per day for two (2) months to breast feed.

It is our firm belief that through such progressive awards, the majority of the key concerns raised by the teachers have been fully addressed, and the Commission will be able to have a motivated, ethical and globally competitive teacher in its service.

We thank the leadership of the three teacher unions for working with the Commission, round the clock, to ensure that pertinent issues affecting our teachers are resolved through meaningful social dialogue so as to institutionalise collective bargaining in the teaching service.

We applaud all our teachers for the work they are doing, and the sacrifices they make each day, and the patience they have had with us as we negotiated with their unions. We undertake to double our efforts to serve you with dedication and commitment for the benefit of our learners. 

In conclusion, allow me to thank all persons who, in one way of the other, played a role in the realisation of the 2025-2029 CBA, including members of the Commission, the secretariat, the unions, the media fraternity and, of course, our teachers.

DR JAMLECK MUTURI JOHN, EBS
COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON