Teachers across the country are set to enjoy a major financial boost after a landmark agreement was reached between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and key stakeholders in the education sector.
The new 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), signed on Friday, July 18, marks a pivotal moment for teachers, securing a Ksh33 billion salary package that promises to significantly raise pay for thousands of teachers across the country.
The agreement was the product of marathon negotiations involving the TSC, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET). Talks were held at the Kenya Institute of Special Education in Kasarani, Nairobi, culminating in a deal that has been widely hailed as a win for the teaching profession.
Under the new CBA, the highest-paid teachers, those in job group D5, will now earn up to Ksh167,415 per month. This represents a 5 percent increase in basic salary and places senior educators in a significantly improved financial position.
More impactful, however, is the raise granted to the lowest-paid teachers, who will receive a 29.6 percent increase in pay. Teachers at the bottom of the salary scale, currently earning around Ksh23,000, will see their salaries rise to approximately Ksh29,000. These adjustments are intended to uplift classroom teachers who have long felt neglected in previous CBAs.
The salary increases will be implemented in phases over five years, with an annual allocation of Ksh8.4 billion earmarked for the adjustments. By the end of the agreement period, June 30, 2029, the cumulative cost of the raises will total Ksh33 billion.
According to the agreement, the new pay structure takes effect immediately, with teachers expected to see changes in their monthly paychecks by the end of July 2025. The revised salary structure covers all job groups, from the entry-level C1 to the top-tier D5.
Here is a detailed breakdown:
- Job Group C1: Ksh35,300 – Ksh47,300
- Job Group C2: Ksh41,400 – Ksh57,200
- Job Group C3: Ksh49,800 – Ksh66,200
- Job Group C4: Ksh58,600 – Ksh77,100
- Job Group C5: Ksh69,700 – Ksh96,100
- Job Group D1: Ksh81,000 – Ksh99,300
- Job Group D2: Ksh95,300 – Ksh116,000
- Job Group D3: Ksh109,200 – Ksh133,300
- Job Group D4: Ksh121,800 – Ksh150,700
- Job Group D5: Ksh150,000 – Ksh167,415
These changes not only close historical pay gaps but also aim to attract and retain talent in the teaching sector, especially in underserved and rural areas.
Akelo Misori, Secretary General of KUPPET, welcomed the deal, emphasizing that the latest agreement finally corrects historical imbalances in teachers’ pay. He pointed out that the 2016–2021 CBA had disproportionately favored school administrators, principals, and heads of departments, while classroom teachers were left out.
“This time, we have ensured that the gains are evenly distributed across all job groups, particularly benefiting classroom teachers who form the backbone of our education system,” Misori said during a press briefing following the signing of the agreement.
In a major policy shift, the new agreement includes the gradual elimination of the widely criticized Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), a system introduced in 2018. The CPG faced intense backlash from teachers for being rigid, opaque, and punitive, often tying promotions to mandatory training and performance appraisals that many teachers viewed as unjust.
Union leaders confirmed that while allowances will remain mostly unchanged, the scrapping of the CPG is a significant win for the teaching profession. A new, fairer promotion and appraisal system is expected to be introduced in consultation with stakeholders.
The breakthrough follows a tense standoff between teachers and the government over delayed salary reviews. Earlier in the week, the TSC held closed-door talks with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to craft a counteroffer that would address the concerns raised by the unions.
That meeting paved the way for Friday’s high-level negotiations, where consensus was finally reached after hours of back-and-forth discussions. The successful signing of the CBA signals a renewed commitment by the government to prioritize the welfare of educators and stabilize the education sector, which had been under threat of industrial action due to salary delays and lack of clarity around job progression.
With the implementation of the new CBA, education stakeholders hope to see a more motivated and committed teaching workforce. The increment is expected to enhance teacher morale, improve service delivery in schools, and ultimately benefit millions of Kenyan learners.
Teachers across the nation are now looking forward to receiving their enhanced salaries, with many unions urging the government to ensure the agreement is fully honored over the next five years.
The 2025–2029 CBA is not just a financial document; it represents a renewed social contract between the government and the teaching workforce, promising better pay, improved working conditions, and a brighter future for education in Kenya.
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