Senate asked to intervene in teachers’ arrears row
A petitioner wants the Senate to summon the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to explain why salary arrears for P1 teachers with A Level qualifications who served from 1996 to 2010 have not been paid.
Ruth Kabuyu argues that the teachers were promoted in 1996 but were yet to receive their arrears, contrary to standard labour practices.
“The Petitioner, therefore, prays to the Senate that it intervenes in this matter with a view to recommending to the National Treasury and Economic Planning to factor in budget, to enable payment of salary arrears to the teachers,” said Senate Speaker Amason Kingi (pictured) while reading the petition.
Two-week programme
According to the petitioner, in July 1996, the Directorate of Personnel Management of TSC issued a scheme of service for non-graduate teachers giving the requirements and promotion for the teachers.
“The said schemes were implemented by the Commission after which attendant regrading was required. In July 1996, the then Ministry of Education, Science and Technology through the Chief inspector of schools requested all District Education Officers, Municipal Education Officers and City Director of Education to submit the names of trained primary school teachers P1 with A Level academic qualifications to the Ministry,” reads part of the petition.
Kabuyu says the Ministry proceeded to grade untrained A Level teachers, who had attended a two-week programme at Kagumo and Bondo Teachers Training Colleges to secondary schools (S1), locking out other A-Levels primary school teachers P1, who had not attended the course.
Constitution
While supporting the petition, Narok Senator Ledama Olekina said it would make sense if MPs were taxed to pay the teachers.
“I will be happy if you increase my tax to pay these teachers. However, do not increase my tax to pay some form of housing fund. If you cannot pay those teachers, how are you going to give them houses?” asked Olekina.
Senator Dan Maanzo (Makueni) said the salary of many teachers was not commensurate to their qualifications. “We have many teachers who became graduates. They pursued degrees privately and have now qualified.”
