New Bill to Expedite Timely Payment of Teachers’ Retirement Benefits

New Bill to Expedite Timely Payment of Teachers’ Retirement Benefits

Tinderet MP Julius Melly is preparing to present a bill to the National Assembly, aimed at expediting the payment of retirement benefits to teachers.

This initiative comes in response to numerous grievances from retired educators who have waited over three years for their pensions.

Melly attributed the delays in pension payments to the absence of a solid legal framework. He explained that this issue has led to severe hardships for retired teachers, many of whom are struggling with financial difficulties, including the inability to pay their children’s school fees.

To address this, the bill Melly is developing will mandate the Director of Pensions, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO, and the Retirement Benefits Authority to ensure that all retirement benefits are disbursed within a month after a teacher retires.

The legislation will also outline the process for preparing the necessary documents ahead of retirement, aiming to streamline the system.

Key Provisions

The bill includes several critical measures:

• Teachers will be entitled to a three-month terminal leave to complete their paperwork before retirement.
• TSC will be required to request the necessary documents from teachers six months before retirement to begin processing their pensions.

Melly expressed confidence that these steps would reduce the waiting time for pension payments, enabling retired teachers to settle into post-service life without undue stress.

During a Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) meeting in Tinderet, Melly advised teachers to cultivate a savings culture and join Saccos to secure a stable retirement.

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He emphasized the importance of prudent financial management during their service years.

As the Chair of the Education Committee in the National Assembly, Melly is also advocating for the promotion of teachers to enhance their morale and career progression.

Last year, the committee approved KSh1 billion, resulting in the promotion of 36,000 teachers. The committee is currently negotiating with the executive to allocate more funds, aiming to promote at least 55,000 teachers annually.

Looming Teachers’ Strike

Regarding the upcoming teachers’ strike, Melly reassured educators that the committee is in discussions with the National Treasury and TSC to ensure the full implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in July 2021. He expressed optimism that the government would honor the agreement.

However, KNUT Assistant Secretary General Hesbon Otieno insisted that the strike notice remains in effect, with all teachers set to strike on the 26th of this month if the final phase of the CBA is not implemented.

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Otieno emphasized that the union, in collaboration with the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET), is demanding:

• Confirmation of 46,000 Junior Secondary School teachers.
• Promotion of 136,000 teachers who have been stagnant in their positions.
• A review of teachers’ salaries to account for the rising cost of living.

Should the strike proceed, it would disrupt the reopening of schools for the third term and the administration of national exams set to begin in October.

New Bill to Expedite Timely Payment of Teachers’ Retirement Benefits

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