The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has, today 13th July, 2021, signed a new non-monetary CBA with the three recognised teacher unions to cover the period 2021 to 2025.Â
The three unions include The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET).
“After frank, sincere and open discussions today, we are happy to announce that both parties have reached a deal. The Commission has, therefore, today 13th July, 2021, signed a new CBA with the three recognised teacher unions to cover the period 2021 to 2025,” read communique from TSC.Â
Although the unions‘ proposals included financial components, the Commission beseeched the parties to factor in the advice of the Salaries Remuneration Commission (SRC) that directed a freeze in salary reviews in the public sector for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years.
However, teachers’ unions say basic pay review expected in a year.
Among the benefits of the 2021-2025 include increased maternity leave days to 120 from the present 90, and paternity leave to 21 days up from 14.
The commission has also offered to grant teachers a pre adoptive leave of 45 days from the date of adoption.
Couples will now be transferred to schools near each other (if both are teachers). However this will be subject to availability of vacancies.
At the same time as part of the Commission‘s efforts to recognise exemplary teachers, the teachers’ employer this month rolled out an exercise to capture data of all those staff who excel in various spheres of work with a view to rewarding them accordingly as would be decided from time to time.
These areas would include excellence in national examinations, sport, theatre, institutional management, innovation, research, and advocacy, among others.Â