Teachers to Earn Up to Ksh167K as TSC Signs Ksh33B Pay Deal

A major pay revolution is unfolding in Kenya’s education sector after TSC signed a new Ksh33 billion deal that promises hefty salary boosts—but with lingering uncertainties beneath the surface.

In a dramatic Friday meeting at the Kenya Institute of Special Education, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), KUPPET, and KUSNET agreed on a 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that will see some teachers in job group D5 earn up to Ksh167,415 per month. The lowest-paid teachers will also benefit significantly, with salaries increasing from Ksh23,000 to approximately Ksh29,000—a 29.6% rise.

The agreement outlines progressive salary adjustments costing Ksh8.4 billion yearly. Teachers in job groups C1 to D4 will now earn as follows: C1 (Ksh35,300–47,300), C2 (Ksh41,400–57,200), C3 (Ksh49,800–66,200), C4 (Ksh58,600–77,100), C5 (Ksh69,700–96,100), D1 (Ksh81,000–99,300), D2 (Ksh95,300–116,000), D3 (Ksh109,200–133,300), and D4 (Ksh121,800–150,700).

The deal followed intense behind-the-scenes talks earlier in the week between TSC and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). By Friday, July 18, unions led by KUPPET’s Akelo Misori and KNUT’s Collins Oyuu returned for the final negotiations, declaring the outcome a win for classroom teachers, long sidelined in previous CBAs.

Still, concerns persist. While salaries will increase, allowances remain unchanged. The Career Progression Guidelines—widely criticised for stifling growth—will reportedly be phased out, but without a clear roadmap. As teachers anticipate new pay by month-end, attention now shifts to whether the promised reforms will genuinely materialise—or get lost in bureaucracy once again.