Education CS Julius Ogamba Advocates for Early Pension Processing for Teachers.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba faced significant scrutiny from MPs on Wednesday regarding the challenges surrounding teacher pensions.
The discussion highlighted the difficulties teachers encounter when trying to access their pensions after decades of service.
Teachers, some of whom have worked for up to 50 years, are often forced to spend large sums traveling to Nairobi to collect their pensions, causing both financial and emotional strain.
MPs emphasized the need for a policy that would ensure long-serving teachers receive their pensions promptly, suggesting that a solution was urgently required to address this issue.
The concern was echoed by Omboko Milemba who raised the broader issue of pension delays, which affect many teachers and their families.
This delay in receiving pensions often leads to prolonged hardship, with some teachers even passing away before they can access their retirement funds.
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The Emuhaya Member of Parliament and Kuppet National Chairman questioned the ministry on its actions to streamline the pension process, stressing that this was an issue that affected numerous families.
Minister’s Response and Policy Changes
In response, Education CS Julius Ogamba acknowledged the gravity of the issue and assured the MPs that it had been noted.
He explained that the Ministry was already in the process of reviewing the Teacher Service Commission (TSC) Act and other legal frameworks governing the sector.
As part of this review, the Ministry is working on amending the pension fund regulations to improve the process.
He proposed that, moving forward, the pension processing for teachers should begin one year before their retirement, allowing the necessary documentation and procedures to be completed while teachers are still in service.
“Once a teacher is about to retire 12 months to that retirement age, the processing of their documentation and what needs to happen when they retire in terms of their pension should be in place so that they do not have to leave and then come back,” said Ogamba.
This would eliminate the need for teachers to return to the TSC after retirement, ensuring a smoother transition into their pension payments.
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Key Points of the Discussion
- Teachers face long delays in receiving their pensions, often after decades of service.
- Many teachers are forced to travel to Nairobi at great expense to claim their pensions.
- Some teachers pass away before receiving their retirement benefits.
- The Education CS confirmed ongoing efforts to amend the pension regulations for teachers.
- The proposed changes aim to start pension processing one year before retirement, ensuring timely access to funds.
Education CS Julius Ogamba Advocates for Early Pension Processing for Teachers.
