TSC Confirms Phase Two of Teachers’ CBA Starts Next Month, Warns Against Political Interference.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Evelyn Mitei, has cautioned against political interference in the transfer of teachers, stating that the deployment and transfer of teachers must be undertaken strictly in accordance with the law and within the mandate of the Commission.
Mitei made the remarks while addressing delegates during the 49th Annual Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Conference held in Mombasa.
She stated that requests seeking the transfer of teachers through political or external influence continue to be received by the Commission from sponsoring institutions, but emphasized that such actions fall outside the established legal framework governing teacher management.
“I have constantly received letters from sponsoring institutions telling us, ‘Move this teacher from here to here, move this one from here to here.’ What we are saying is that mandate lies strictly with the Commission,” Mitei said.
The TSC Chief Executive Officer reiterated that the constitutional and statutory responsibility for the recruitment, deployment, transfer, promotion and management of teachers rests exclusively with the Teachers Service Commission, and that all transfer decisions are processed in accordance with the Commission’s legal mandate.
During the conference, Mitei also announced that the second phase of implementation of the Teachers Service Commission Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will commence next month. The announcement forms part of the Commission’s implementation schedule under the negotiated agreement covering teachers’ terms and conditions of service.
What Phase Two of the TSC CBA Means for Teachers
The 2025-2029 CBA, signed between TSC and teachers’ unions including KNUT and KUPPET, represents a landmark deal valued at around Ksh 33-34 billion over four years. It includes salary increments of up to 29.5% for the lowest-paid teachers, enhanced allowances, streamlined promotions, and improved working conditions
Phase One was implemented from July 2025, costing the government approximately Ksh 8.4 billion. Phase Two, also budgeted at Ksh 8.4 billion initially (with total Phase Two costs projected around Ksh 16.8 billion in some reports), will bring further adjustments to salary notches, Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), and other benefits starting next month.
Key highlights expected in Phase Two:
- Salary increments across various job groups (B5 to D5 and beyond), with backdated payments possible in subsequent payrolls.
- Updates to the new Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), which aim to shorten promotion timelines (potentially to as little as 15 years in some structures) and address stagnation issues.
- Enhanced allowances, especially for teachers in hardship areas, special needs education, and those with additional responsibilities.
TSC’s Strong Warning: No Room for Political Interference
While celebrating the CBA progress, TSC Acting CEO Mitei issued a stern warning to politicians: Stay out of teacher transfers and deployments.
“We do not need interference from anyone. Any transfer is a mandate of TSC and not any other person.” — Evaleen Mitei, TSC Acting CEO.
She emphasized that transfers and delocalization policies were negotiated and agreed upon with teachers’ unions and must follow legal and constitutional frameworks. This comes amid reports of politicians pressuring the commission for favoritism in postings, which TSC insists undermines professionalism and merit-based deployment.
The current CBA follows years of negotiations, strikes threats, and advocacy by unions like KNUT and KUPPET.
Read Also: KUPPET Pushes for New Secondary School Fees Structure
Previous CBAs (e.g., 2017-2021) faced phased implementation challenges, and teachers have pushed hard for timely salary reviews, better promotion structures, and resolution of issues like the Social Health Authority (SHA) contributions.
The four-year deal was structured in phases partly due to budget constraints, but teachers’ unions continue to lobby for faster rollout and even shorter review cycles (e.g., every two years).
TSC Confirms Phase Two of Teachers’ CBA Starts Next Month, Warns Against Political Interference.
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