For a long time, teachers in Kenya have been the most underrated professionals, with low salaries. For this reason, we have seen several Teachers strike in the country, advocating for better pay. So, did Teacher’s salaries increase? How much do the year and so much more? Well, these are but a few questions that this article will address. Here is all to know
In Kenya, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is an essential player in the education sector. It’s responsible for teachers’ recruitment, registration, deployment, remuneration, and promotion. TSC and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) have revised the TSC Salaries Job groups, which have seen teachers earn more salaries through the collective bargaining agreements from 2021 to the end of 2025. Alongside the Salaries they receive based on Job groups, teachers also receive various allowances that end up in their Gross pay.
The New TSC Job Titles And T-Scales
Teachers’ Salaries in Kenya for the 2024/25 financial year are determined by the collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) signed on 13 July 2021. This was after the Teachers Service Commission, SRC, and Teachers Unions in Kenya (KUPPET, KNUT, KUSNET) resorted to ending the teacher’s strike, which targetted addressing issues to do with teachers promoting and implementing the 2021 to 2025 CBA
As per the agreement, teachers’ salaries will be implemented in two (2) phases, effective July 2023. The first phase has already been implemented, and now we are in the second phase, which started on 1 July 2024 and will end on 30 June 2025.
In addition, as per the CBA agreement, the TSC has introduced new Job Grades and T-Scales as follows:
TABLE 1- | JOB TITLES AND T-SCALES | ||
S/No. | TITLES | GRADE | T- SCALE |
1. | Chief Principal | D5 | T-Scale 15 |
2. | Senior Principal | D4 | T-Scale 14 |
3. | Principal | D3 | T-Scale 13 |
Deputy Principal I | |||
Chief Curriculum Support Officer | |||
4. | Deputy Principal II | D2 | T-Scale 12 |
Senior Master I | |||
Senior Lecturer I | |||
Senior Curriculum Support Officer | |||
5. | Senior Master II | ||
Deputy Principal III | D1 | T-Scale 11 | |
Deputy Head Teacher II | |||
Senior Lecturer II | |||
Curriculum Support Officer I | |||
Senior Master III | |||
6. | Senior Lecturer III | ||
Senior Headteacher | C5 | T-Scale 10 | |
Deputy Head Teacher II | |||
Curriculum Support Officer II | |||
7. | Senior Lecturer IV | ||
Senior Master IV | |||
Deputy Head teacher II | C4 | T-Scale 9 | |
8. | Secondary Teacher I | ||
Lecturer I | C3 | T-Scale 8 | |
Senior Teacher I | |||
9. | Secondary Teacher II | ||
Lecturer II | |||
Senior Teacher II | C2 | T-Scale 7 | |
10. | Secondary Teacher III | ||
Lecturer III | C1 | T-Scale 6 | |
Primary Teacher I | |||
11. | Primary Teacher II | B5 | T-Scale 5 |
What is the salary structure of TSC in 2024?
Like Civil servants in Kenya, teachers’ salaries follow the same pattern. What we mean is that teachers’ salaries are influenced mainly by their Job Grades or scale. Also, their experience and Positions matter the most. That’s why Cheuf Principals will earn more, up to KES 162 539, than a teacher starting at the lower Job Grade B5, earning as low as KES 22,793.
To help you understand, below are all teacher’s salaries in Kenya as per their Job Grades as of 1st July 2024:
Chief Principals (GRADE D5 – TSCALE 15)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
SALARY | |
1 | 131,380 |
2 | 135,436 |
3 | 139,617 |
4 | 143,927 |
5 | 148,370 |
6 | 152,951 |
7 | 157,672 |
8 | 162,539 |
Senior Principals (GRADE D4 – T SCALE 14)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 118,242 |
2 | 121,893 |
3 | 125,656 |
4 | 129,535 |
5 | 133,534 |
6 | 137,656 |
7 | 141,906 |
8 | 146,286 |
Principals And Deputy Principal 1 /Chief Curriculum Support Officer (GRADE D3 – T SCALE 13)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 106,043 |
2 | 109,630 |
3 | 113,337 |
4 | 117,170 |
5 | 121,132 |
6 | 125,229 |
7 | 129,463 |
Deputy Principals II And Senior Master I / Senior Lecturer 1/Senior Curriculum Support Officer (GRADE D2 – T SCALE 12)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 92,496 |
2 | 95,136 |
3 | 97,851 |
4 | 100,644 |
5 | 103,516 |
6 | 106,470 |
7 | 109,508 |
8 | 112,633 |
Senior Master II, Deputy Principal III/Senior Headteacher/ Senior Lecture II/ Curriculum Support Officer 1(GRADE D1 – T SCALE 11)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 78,625 |
2 | 80,946 |
3 | 83,335 |
4 | 85,795 |
5 | 88,327 |
6 | 90,934 |
7 | 93,618 |
8 | 96,381 |
Senior Master III/Senior Lecturer III/Headteacher/Deputy Headteacher I/Curriculum Support Officer II (GRADE C5 – T SCALE 10)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 62,272 |
2 | 64,880 |
3 | 67,597 |
4 | 70,428 |
5 | 73,377 |
6 | 76,450 |
7 | 79,651 |
Senior Master IV/ Senior Lecturer IV/ Deputy Headteacher II (GRADE C4 – T SCALE 9)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 52,308 |
2 | 54,403 |
3 | 56,582 |
4 | 58,848 |
5 | 61,205 |
6 | 63,657 |
7 | 66,206 |
8 | 68,857 |
Secondary Teacher I/Lecturer I /Senior Teacher I (GRADE C3 – T SCALE 8)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 45,671 |
2 | 48,085 |
3 | 50,626 |
4 | 53,302 |
5 | 56,119 |
6 | 59,084 |
Secondary Teacher II/ Lecturer II / Senior Teacher II (GRADE C2 – T SCALE 7)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 38,286 |
2 | 40,034 |
3 | 41,861 |
4 | 43,772 |
5 | 45,770 |
6 | 47,858 |
Secondary Teacher III / Lecturer III / Primary Teacher I /GRADE C1 – T SCALE 6)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 29,787 |
2 | 31,147 |
3 | 32,569 |
4 | 34,055 |
5 | 35,609 |
6 | 37,234 |
Primary Teacher II (GRADE B5 – T SCALE 5)
SALARY POINT | SALARY |
1 | 23,830 |
2 | 24,918 |
3 | 26,055 |
4 | 27,244 |
5 | 28,487 |
6 | 29,787 |
TSC New Allowances 2024
As a teacher in Kenya, your earnings go beyond your basic salary. You are entitled to receive TSC allowances, which are either remunerative paid to every teacher or Reimbursement allowances, which are given when you apply.
The thing with teachers’ allowances is that they are not distributed equally to every teacher. Similarly, the base salaries and allowances are also subjected to various factors such as Job Grades and location, mostly
Below are all the allowances that teachers in Kenya are entitled to receive:
Housing Allowance
TSC Housing allowance explicitly serves the housing needs of teachers in various counties. So basically, the Housing allowances are put into three clusters, with Teachers in Nairobi earning more than teachers in other parts of the country. The clusters are based on the idea of compensating teachers in cities and major urban centres with higher salaries due to the strenuous living conditions in these regions as compared to those in rural parts
The clusters are as follows: –
- Cluster 1: Nairobi City
- Cluster 2: Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru Cities, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Malindi and Kitale municipalities
- Cluster 3: All Other areas
The housing allowances salary figures are as follows:
S/No | Grade | TSC Scale | CLUSTER 1 (Nairobi City) | CLUSTER 2 (Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru Cities, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Malindi and Kitale Municipalities) | CLUSTER 3 (All other Areas) |
1 | B5 | 5 | 6,750 | 4,500 | 3,850 |
2 | C1 | 6 | 10,000 | 7,500 | 5,800 |
3 | C2 | 7 | 16,500 | 12,800 | 9,600 |
4 | C3 | 8 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 |
5 | C4 | 9 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 |
6 | C5 | 10 | 35,000 | 25,500 | 18,000 |
7 | D1 | 11 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
8 | D2 | 12 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
9 | D3 | 13 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
10 | D4 | 14 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 |
11 | D5 | 15 | 50,000 | 35,000 | 25,000 |
Hardship Allowance, Transportation Allowance, Annual Leave Compensation, and Disability Assistance Allowance.
Other allowances teachers receive in Kenya, along with their salaries, are:
S/No. | Grade | TSC Scale | Hardship Allowance | Commuter Allowance | Annual Leave Allowance | Disability Guide Allowance |
1 | B5 | 5 | 6,600 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 20,000 |
2 | C1 | 6 | 8,200 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 20,000 |
3 | C2 | 7 | 10,900 | 5,000 | 6,000 | 20,000 |
4 | C3 | 8 | 12,300 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 20,000 |
5 | C4 | 9 | 14,650 | 8,000 | 6,000 | 20,000 |
6 | C5 | 10 | 17,100 | 8,000 | 6,000 | 20,000 |
7 | D1 | 11 | 27,300 | 12,000 | 10,000 | 20,000 |
8 | D2 | 12 | 27,300 | 12,000 | 10,000 | 20,000 |
9 | D3 | 13 | 31,500 | 14,000 | 10,000 | 20,000 |
10 | D4 | 14 | 31,500 | 14,000 | 10,000 | 20,000 |
11 | D5 | 15 | 38,100 | 16,000 | 10,000 | 20,000 |