TSC effects payrise for more than 8,000 teachers who missed in July promotions

Teachers Arena October 24, 2020 TSC jobs 61 Comments

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has awarded a payrise to more than 8,000 teachers who missed out salary increase in the fourth and final phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) as well as the common cadre promotions inline with CPG.

Sources from numerous online payslips indicate that TSC has finally honored the salary increase for the teachers who deserved but missed the salary increment.

TSC which was expected to make the payment in September payroll failed and led to frustrations amongst the affected teachers.

The payment has affected both school administrators who had missed on the fourth and final phase of the CBA due to Knut membership as well as classroom teachers who also missed the automatic July promotions as per the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) due to Knut membership and interdictions.

The good news follows a decision by the Teachers Service Commission to reconsider teachers who left Knut on the T-pay system and those who were reinstated after interdiction.

Others who have been promoted are teachers in grades C1 and C2, diploma and degree holders, respectively, under the Common cadre establishment.

According to TSC records, there are 15,140 teachers at Grade C1 while 43,557 tutors are at Grade C2.

Though their names missed from the July 1st 2020 payroll, the effective date the fourth and final phase was implemented, which runs to June 30th 2021, the teachers have received their benefits.

In an Internal Memo by Acting Director, Integrated Payroll and Personnel Data (IPPD), J.W. Ndege, the first group was 5,900 teachers who self-exited on the T-pay system through the Third Party self-care portal.

“Teachers in CBA 2 are migrated monthly after they self-exit on T-pay system through the Third Party self-care portal,” Ndege had stated in the memo.

In the memo dated August 6th 2020 and sent to all Digit Heads, under the Human Resource Management, Ndege said that arrears accrued from July 1st 2019 are paid in the following month after migration from CBA 2 to CBA 3 or 4.

Titled ‘Emerging issues, in the implementation of CBA phase 4’ Ref No TSC/IPPD/HRM&D/OM/VOL.II/111, she stated that for records that have been edited within the month of migration, the teachers are just converted but not paid arrears.

“Accordingly, attached is a list of 5,900 records of teachers migrated from CBA 2 but have not been paid arrears because the record was edited in the month of migration,” she said.

For example, a teacher in grade C5 at CBA 2 earning a monthly salary of Sh40,849 and who migrated to CBA 3 have received Sh51,632, and this will increase to Sh62,272 on the lower side and Sh64,631 on the higher side in CBA 4.

The second group which have been promoted is 1,932 teachers interdicted, and in grade B5 T Scale 5 designated as Primary Teacher II who have now moved to grade C1 T Scale 6.

They are now designated as Secondary Teacher III/Secondary Teacher III-UT Certificate/Lecturer III/Primary Teacher I.

Ndege had stated that teachers who had served for three years and above on grade B5 qualified to be upgraded to grade C1 from July 1st 2020 and adopted July as their incremental month.

However, Knut teachers under Schemes of Service (CBA) were not upgraded to grade C1.

“Similarly, teachers who qualified for upgrading but had previous discipline cases were not upgraded. These cases should be upgraded using personal files, to determine the effective date of upgrading upon completion of two years after reporting from interdiction,” she stated.

According to the Code of Regulation for Teachers (2015), the Commission may refuse to consider a teacher for promotion if the teacher has not completed two years from the date he or she was found guilty following disciplinary action.

During the period of interdiction, a teacher receives a half monthly salary, is not promoted and misses other privileges.

The lowest-paid teacher in this grade has seen a salary increase from Sh21,756 to Sh27,195 per month while the highest a salary increase from Sh27,195 to Sh33,994.

Teachers in grade C1 and C2 who are diploma and degree holders respectively must fulfil requirements as stipulated in the Teachers Career Guidelines to be promoted under the common cadre.

Under the common cadre, a teacher is automatically promoted after serving for three years and above, rather than being subjected to interviews.

Others considered are those who might possess an added advantage, based on school performance or teachers’ track record or acquisition of higher qualification.

Teachers in C1 are designated as Secondary Teacher III-UT certificate, Secondary Teacher III, Lecturer III and Primary Teacher I.

Those in C2 are designated as Secondary Teacher II-UT graduate, Secondary Teacher II, Secondary Teacher II-Technical certificate, SNE Teacher II-Primary, Lecturer II and Senior Teacher II.

2018 data indicated that there are 43,557 teachers in grade C2 and 15,140 in grade C1.

The lowest-paid teacher in grade C1 takes home Sh27,195 while the highest pockets Sh33,994 per month.

Once promoted to C2, the lowest-paid teacher in this grade takes home Sh34,955 while the highest pocket Sh43,694 per month.

Those who were in grade C2 and promoted to grade C3 have now monthly income increase to Sh43,154 for the lowest and Sh53,943 for the highest.