The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been granted the largest portion of the Ksh.21.7 billion salary budget for the fiscal year 2023/2024.
The pay rise for educators, as stated by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Chairperson Lyn Mengich, is part of the commission’s endeavor to standardize compensation for state and public employees.
Teachers, ranked at the 36th percentile in terms of average Current Gross Market earnings, find themselves as the lowest-paid civil servants in Kenya. In a recent interview on Spice FM, Mengich discussed the objective of the salary adjustment, aiming to establish fairness and equality in remuneration.
“We have a goal of reaching the 50th percentile, positioning us at the midpoint of the market. We evaluated each sector’s standing relative to this percentile,” explained Mengich.
Read Also: State Employees to Get 7-10 Percent Salary Increase
“Currently, the Teaching Service stands at the 36th percentile. This justifies the substantial allocation to the Teaching Service.
Our gradual approach is to elevate them toward the 50th percentile, achieving pay harmonization. This salary review centers on aligning pay structures. Otherwise, a general pay increase would have been distributed.”
Mengich emphasized that the review is in accordance with prevailing market trends and the country’s economic conditions. “Our rationale behind this is to ensure that the public sector can both attract and retain the necessary skills for effective service delivery. This implies that compensation must correlate with market dynamics.”
Addressing concerns about a fair minimum wage for all public servants, Mengich highlighted its prioritization in the pay review process. The new salary framework will be implemented over two phases spanning a two-year period.
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In the most recent review, state and public employees were granted a salary hike of 7-10%, effective from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024.
