Teachers’ Salaries And Promotions 2021; Resolutions Arrived At During The March 2021 Naivasha Retreat Involving KUPPET And TSC Representatives
Latest news on the new 2021-2025 teachers’ CBA: The teachers’ employer, TSC, held a fruitful four-day retreat with representatives of KUPPET in Naivasha in March 2021.
KNUT representatives were missing in action as usual-a clear indication that the union is losing its relevance when it comes to teachers’ matters.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) reached a number of agreements during the meeting with the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) concerning the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Below is a summary of the agreements that were reached between TSC and KUPPET about the upcoming teachers’ CBA 2021-2025 during the four-day retreat in Naivasha, as from March 14, 2021 to March 18, 2021
1. Classroom teachers will reap big in the new teachers CBA set to begin on July 1, 2021
According to Kuppet, classroom teachers will ‘reap big’ from the new CBA after receiving a raw deal in the previous one.
2. The new CBA will recognize and appreciate the true worth of classroom teachers
KUPPET and the TSC have developed new Job Descriptions capturing the true worth of a classroom teacher. The new Job Descriptions recognise the teachers’ leadership and technical work within and outside the classroom, which had been ignored by the evaluation tool previously used by the SRC.
There are up to 30 new roles of the classroom teacher, including:
(i) Class management
(ii) Substantial financial responsibility during outdoor activities like tours and sports.
In the new CBC curriculum, a teachers’ work will even be more complex.
3. Promotion of teachers from grade C3 to C4 and TTC tutors
The Job Re-Evaluation has resulted in the creation of a new opening in C4 for Senior Master IV and Senior Lecturer IV for those in TTCs who do not have administrative positions.
At the moment, the Commission has advertised 6,680 vacancies for these cadres as the first step towards institutionalising C4 as a promotional grade from C3.
Under the CBC, the TTC tutors will be training teachers at the Diploma level, hence the repositioning of their roles. Administrators in TTCs including Deans and Registrars will have a clear career path with substantive appointments.
4. Promotion of diploma teachers
The career path for Diploma Teachers has been clarified. By the commencement of the 2016 CBA on 8 November 2017, more than half of teachers who had joined service at Job Group had obtained Bed degrees and transited to the Graduate Scheme of Service.
Among those who had not, those who had served for more than three years in one Job Group had been promoted to the next Job Group, i.e., Job Group k or L, under the common cadre promotions.
However, a small number of the teachers, who had served in one Job Group for less than three years, had their promotions following the scrapping of one common cadre promotional level. Following the union’s memorandums, the Commission has advertised positions specifically to this group of teachers. We understand that the Commission received fewer applicants than the number of vacancies it declared.
4. Maternity leave for TSC intern teachers
The Commission agreed that, except for specific provisions of their contracts, all intern teachers will work under the same conditions as provided under the Code of Regulations for Teachers.
The intern teachers qualify for maternity leave of 90 calendar days with effect from the expected date of delivery, as do other teachers.
5. Suspension of TSC policy on post-graduate qualifications for Promotions
The Commission agreed to suspend the requirement of a Master’s degree for Principals or other promotions within the teaching service. This is in line with regulations by the Public Service Commission which has scrapped the requirement of a Master’s degree for promotions at Job Group P and above. Post-graduate qualifications will be considered as an added advantage.
The union, however, demanded the introduction of a Post-Graduate Allowance for teachers who possess Master’s and PhD degrees irrespective of their position in service.
6. Deployment of P1 teachers with higher qualifications
In readiness for the new CBC curriculum, the Commission will promote 1,000 graduate teachers who initially had P1 qualifications to secondary schools every financial year. By June 30, it shall have redeployed 2,000 of such teachers, and the redeployment will continue until the numbers are fully addressed. The teachers must have obtained a KCSE mean grade of C+ and C+ in two teaching subjects.
7. TSC teachers’ medical scheme
The meeting observed the numerous problems teachers face in accessing health services under the Medical Scheme. It was agreed that an inter-parties’ meeting between the TSC, Minet and KUPPET would be held soon to discuss the issues and recommend solutions.