TSC Processes July Salaries For Teachers As First Phase of New CBA Takes Effect

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has completed the processing of July 2025 salaries for over 400,000 teachers across the country, incorporating salary adjustments under the first phase of the newly signed 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Teachers are expected to begin receiving their salaries by the end of this week, with Saturday being the latest payout date.

This comes just a week after the Commission entered into a landmark agreement with the three main teachers’ unions—Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET)—on Thursday, July 18, 2025.

The agreement marks the beginning of a four-year implementation cycle that will cost the government a total of Sh33.75 billion. The initial phase of the 2025–2029 CBA officially kicked off on July 1, 2025, and will cost the exchequer approximately Sh8.4 billion in the current financial year.

This amount includes both basic salary increments and allowances for teachers across various grades. In addition to the direct benefits to teachers, over Sh1.2 billion has been factored in as the government’s contribution to the teachers’ pension scheme and other statutory obligations such as Pay As You Earn (PAYE), National Social Security Fund (NSSF), and the Housing Levy.

The Commission had finalized all necessary adjustments on its Integrated Personnel and Payroll Database (IPPD) system before the close of the July” payroll, an indication that teachers’ revised salaries are ready for disbursement.

Read Also: TSC Announces 16% to 32% Basic Pay Hike And 20% Increase In All Allowances

Speaking after the signing of the agreement, TSC Chairperson Dr. Jamleck Muturi emphasized the significance of the deal, terming it a product of long and exhaustive negotiations with the teacher unions.

“After a long journey of detailed and thorough negotiations, we are delighted to inform our more than 400,000 teachers that we have reached and signed a CBA agreement for the 2025–2029 period. This historic deal was signed with the elected representatives of KNUT, KUPPET, and KUSNET on July 18, 2025,” Muturi said in a statement.

One of the notable changes under the new CBA is the basic salary increment for teachers across various job grades. For instance, a teacher at job grade B5—the lowest in the TSC grading system—will now see their basic monthly salary rise from Sh23,830 to Sh28,620 over the four years. This translates to a total increment of Sh7,313, which will be implemented in phased annual increases.

While these basic salary increments offer some financial relief to teachers, not all demands made by the unions were met. Despite calls from KNUT, KUPPET, and KUSNET to review allowances to cushion educators against the soaring cost of living and inflation, TSC opted to maintain the current structure of allowances with only a few adjustments.

The only notable change in allowances was the revision of the Baggage Allowance, which is paid to public servants when they are transferred to new duty stations. This allowance is intended to facilitate the transportation of household belongings, and the revised rates are expected to offer more realistic compensation to teachers affected by transfers.

However, other core allowances such as commuter allowance, house allowance, hardship allowance, and leave allowance remained unchanged, something that union leaders have vowed to revisit in future negotiations.

As teachers prepare to receive their adjusted July salaries, they should also brace for increased statutory and third-party deductions. According to the Commission, contributions towards PAYE, union dues, and the Housing Levy have slightly risen due to the enhanced gross earnings under the new salary structure.

This means that although gross salaries are increasing, the net take-home pay for some teachers may not rise proportionally, especially those in higher tax brackets or those with multiple third-party deductions.

The 2025–2029 CBA is a critical milestone in improving the welfare of educators in Kenya, but union leaders and education stakeholders agree that more still needs to be done.

KUPPET Secretary-General Akelo Misori, while welcoming the deal, emphasized the need for continuous engagement to address unresolved issues such as allowances, medical cover, and career progression guidelines.

As the implementation of the new CBA continues in phases over the next four years, attention will now turn to how effectively TSC and the government will honor their financial commitments and whether further improvements will be negotiated in future CBAs.

For now, teachers across the country can expect their July 2025 salaries to reflect the new salary scales, offering a modest boost in earnings and signaling a new chapter in the welfare of the teaching fraternity.

Read Also: Here’s New Salary Scale For Teachers As TSC Signs Fresh CBA Agreement