Teachers will receive their August salaries later than usual, depending on the outcome of pay increase negotiations between their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), and their unions, scheduled for this morning.

According to reliable sources, the TSC has not released teachers’ pay slips as it is waiting to see if it will reach an agreement with the unions after initial talks on Monday last week failed to produce a deal.

A majority of teachers have confirmed that their payslips were not reflected on their employer’s portal, which is late by normal standards.

If the parties agree and sign a deal, teachers will receive an improved package backdated to July 1,2023. But,if the unions refuse to sign, they will be paid the old salaries.

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Last week,the unions and the TSC leadership met at the Kenya School of Government,but the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut),the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (Kusnet) refused to sign the TSC’s offer of between 2.4 per cent and 9.5 per cent salary increase,saying,it was lower than that recommended by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

The unions accused the TSC of deceit, saying, the offer was way below the seven to 10 per cent increase recommended by SRC for all civil servants, security forces and teachers.

The SRC had recommended a pay rise of between seven and 10 per cent for all civil servants and teachers. Negotiations have been taking place out of the limelight, most recently on Friday last week.

The unions also want the lowest paid teachers to receive the highest increase,  while those in higher grades receive the least, Kuppet and Knut secretaries-general Akello Misori and Collins Oyuu respectively said.

Mr Oyuu said they were promised a wage increase of between seven and 10 per cent for their members when they met President William Ruto at State House when he was lobbying for support for the Finance Bill 2023, which he signed into law.

The unions insist that this is not part of the review of an extended Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)that they have been pushing for.

While Kuppet wants a wage adjustment of between 30 and 70 per cent, Knut wants a 60 per cent increase across the board.

The unions signed a CBA with the TSC in 2021 that runs until 2025, but did not include a monetary aspect due to the economic situation at the time, which was blamed on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members of Parliament have demanded to know whether a lower quorum in the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is the reason for delays in concluding the July pay-rise negotiations and recruitment of additional teachers to fill the biting teacher shortage schools are experiencing currently.

Parliament on Wednesday 28^th grilled TSC CEO Nancy Macharia to tell them whether quorum hitches that have rocked the commission have risked the welfare of teachers, including negotiations on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Since March 2019, only two out of nine commissioners have been on duty as seven commissions have retired.

The two cannot make binding decisions as the nine-member commission is only considered legally constituted with at least half of the members.

Although the 2021-2025 CBA is expected to begin on July 1^st, TSC is yet to engage in negotiations with teacher unions. Education committee chairperson Florence Mutua said without a quorum, the commission is unable to operate.

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“Can the CEO explain why she did not notify the President when she realised that the commission lacks quorum to decide on teachers issues? How have they been operating?” Mutua asked. Migori woman rep Pamela Odhiambo lamented the quorum hitch, saying, teachers’ issues are crucial.

“Some of the commissioners retired in 2019, why has it taken too long to pick their replacement?”Odhiambo asked.

TSC is responsible for recruitment, promotion, disciplinary processes and reviewing the standards of education and training of teachers. However, Macharia dismissed claims that lack of quorum had affected the functions of the commission.

In her defense, Macharia said TSC has been focusing on implementing earlier decisions, adding, it is not within her jurisdiction to notify the President on retirement of commissioners.

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TSC chairperson Lydia Nzomo retired last year while Commissioner Cleophas Tirop left in March 2019.

Commissioners Mbarak Twahir, Tache Bosa Gollo, Betreace Marembo Adu, Kinoti Manyara and Mr Albert Fred Ekirapa retired in March this year.

The National Assembly approved the appointment of Dr Jamleck Muturi as chairperson and Mr Alfred Otieno Oyucho as a commissioner.