Mutula seeks Sh13bn to pay striking tutors
What you need to know:
- In a letter seen by the Nation, Mr Kilonzo said it would cost the government Sh1 billion per month or Sh13 billion per year to meet part of the teaches’ demands.
- Mr Kilonzo’s request was based on the advice of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) after they consulted with the Kenya National Union of Teachers a week ago.
- But the union is also demanding that the government meets another deal signed in 1997, which, they claim, was implemented in part, and also a 300 per cent salary increase for all teachers.
Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo has written to the Cabinet seeking approval of Sh13 billion by the Treasury to harmonise the salaries of teachers with other civil servants.
In a letter seen by the Nation, Mr Kilonzo said it would cost the government Sh1 billion per month or Sh13 billion per year to meet part of the teaches’ demands.
Mr Kilonzo’s request was based on the advice of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) after they consulted with the Kenya National Union of Teachers a week ago. (READ: State agencies differ on teachers’ pay)
“Following the decision of the government to re-align the salaries of all public servants, TSC has recommended that the government provide funds to facilitate the harmonisation of teachers’ salaries to those of civil servants with effect from July 1,” the brief reads in part.
“The cost implication for awarding the salary increase for teachers is Sh1.113 billion per month or Sh13.357 billion per annum to cover all the teachers who were in service as at July 1, 2012.”
The request is expected to be discussed in a Cabinet meeting on Thursday. But the union is also demanding that the government meets another deal signed in 1997, which, they claim, was implemented in part, and also a 300 per cent salary increase for all teachers.
In 1997, teachers were awarded salary increases of between 105 and 200 per cent, but they argue the allowances were left out.
However, the Treasury said all pending agreements that teachers entered into with the government had been cleared with the last pay having been implemented during the last financial year.
Finance PS Joseph Kinyua, in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Education, said the pending demands as claimed by teachers in Legal Notice 534 of 1997 were a part of salary awards negotiated in 2008.
Mr Kinyua said the legal notice was implemented as a part of the agreement where the teachers were awarded Sh17.3 billion spread out over three years.
He said teachers were awarded medical, commuter, special schools and hardship allowances.
