NAIROBI — For nearly 99,000 Kenyan teachers, promotion has come with no pay.
That’s the stark reality facing educators across the country who have been assigned acting roles in schools sometimes for months or even years without the allowances they are legally owed. Now, pressure is building on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to explain why.
The issue came to a head this week during a tense sitting of Parliament’s Education Committee, where lawmakers grilled TSC officials over the agency’s handling of the matter. Legislators demanded answers about unpaid allowances, unfilled permanent roles, and how funds that had already been set aside for acting teachers were being spent.
“It is shocking,” said committee chair Julius Melly. “How can nearly 99,000 teachers act in various roles without being paid when there’s a budget for it? We want clarity, and we want a full breakdown of the numbers.”
Teachers ‘Exploited’ Without Pay
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), one of the country’s main teachers’ unions, has been vocal in calling out what it sees as exploitation of educators by the TSC.
“These teachers are suffering,” said KUPPET Secretary-General Omboko Milemba during a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday. “Thousands are shouldering extra responsibilities leading schools, managing departments yet they receive nothing extra. It’s a violation of their rights, and it must stop.”
The discussion came as Parliament reviews the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Sponsored by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, the proposed legislation would compel the TSC to formally pay allowances to teachers acting in roles above their pay grade.
But the bill faces significant headwinds. Several government institutions including the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the Office of the Attorney General, and the Kenya Law Reform Commission have pushed back against the plan. They argue that reforms should be made through policy adjustments rather than new laws.
Opposition to the Bill
Allan Sitima, Senior Deputy Director of Legal Services at the TSC, echoed that position during the committee session.
“It is the Commission’s considered view that these amendments should await the broader legal reforms expected in the education and teaching sector,” Sitima told the committee.
Others in the room weren’t convinced.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera said Parliament would need detailed figures before deciding on the way forward. “We need accurate data,” he said. “How many teachers are acting? What are they owed? What has been paid so far, and what’s causing the delay?”
Structural Failures
The debate has revealed deeper concerns about structural failings within the education system. Lawmakers suggested that the over-reliance on acting appointments points to a failure by the TSC to substantively fill vacancies in a timely manner.
“It’s not just about allowances,” said Melly. “It’s about governance. How did we get to a point where nearly 100,000 educators are left in limbo?”
While no immediate resolution was reached, the Education Committee signalled it would continue pressing the TSC for transparency and accountability.
What Comes Next
For now, thousands of teachers remain stuck in the middle. Many have spent years working in positions they weren’t officially hired for, without recognition or fair compensation.
“The government can’t ask teachers to lead without pay, then expect excellence in classrooms,” Milemba said. “It’s time to treat educators with the respect they deserve.”
The committee is expected to reconvene next month to review further submissions and determine whether to support or shelve the controversial amendment bill. Until then, the fate of those acting teachers and their long-overdue pay remains uncertain.
