Primary Teacher I is the grade most primary school teachers in Kenya move into after their first promotion from Primary Teacher II. On the Teachers Service Commission’s structure it sits at Job Group C1, T-Scale 6, and covers teachers handling grades one to six.
Here is the current position as of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), now in its second implementation phase.
Quick Answer: What Does Grade C1 Earn Right Now?
Under Phase Two of the CBA, which took effect on 1 July 2026 and runs until 30 June 2027, Primary Teacher I (C1) basic salary ranges from about KSh 32,423 to KSh 41,072 a month, before allowances. This replaced the Phase One figures that applied from July 2025 to June 2026, which were themselves an increase on the pre-CBA scale of KSh 28,491–35,614 that many older articles online still quote.
Your exact salary point within that range depends on your specific notch (determined by years of service and your incremental date), not simply on your job group. TSC circulars retain each teacher’s existing incremental date when converting them to the new scale, so two C1 teachers with different lengths of service will sit at different points even in the same month.
Why the Old KSh 28,491–35,614 Figure Is Outdated
Several sites, including many still ranking in search results, quote a C1 salary of KSh 28,491 (minimum) to KSh 35,614 (maximum). That was the applicable scale before the 2025–2029 CBA began rolling out.
TSC signed the new CBA with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) on 18 July 2025, and has been implementing it in four scheduled phases running through to June 2029.
If you’re seeing the older figures on a payslip comparison or a job advert, treat them as historical, not current.
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TSC Grade C1 Salary Under the 2025–2029 CBA
| CBA Phase | Effective Period | Approximate C1 Basic Salary Range (KSh) |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-CBA scale | Before July 2025 | 28,491 – 35,614 |
| Phase One | 1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026 | 31,787 – 39,740 (approx.) |
| Phase Two (current) | 1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027 | 32,423 – 41,072 |
| Final CBA target | By 2028/29 | 35,336 – 47,261 |
Phase One and interim figures vary slightly between secondary sources depending on which conversion table they cite, so treat the Phase One column as approximate.
The Phase Two figures come from the circular TSC issued to its regional, county and sub-county directors implementing the second phase, and are the most reliable current numbers available outside your own payslip.
Two things worth knowing about how the increments land:
- Monthly increase this phase. Teachers across all grades received increases of roughly KSh 693 to KSh 2,055 a month under Phase Two, with the exact figure depending on job group and salary point. Grade C1 teachers were among the more modestly affected grades compared with C2 and C3.
- Incremental dates are protected. If your annual increment date falls on 1 July, TSC applies that increment on the old scale first, then converts you to the new salary points from the same date — so you don’t lose an increment in the transition.
Several teachers’ unions and commentators have publicly criticised Phase Two as too small relative to inflation, PAYE, the Housing Levy, SHIF and pension deductions, so don’t be surprised if your net take-home pay increase feels smaller than the gross figures above suggest.
Grade C1 Allowances
Basic salary is only part of a C1 teacher’s monthly pay. Allowances are unchanged from the earlier CBA structure even as basic salaries have risen — TSC confirmed in its Phase Two circular that existing allowance rates remain in force.
House Allowance (by duty station cluster)
| Cluster | Areas | Monthly House Allowance (KSh) |
|---|---|---|
| Cluster 1 | Nairobi City | 10,000 |
| Cluster 2 | Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii, Kitale | 7,500 |
| Cluster 3 | Other former minor municipalities | 5,800 |
| Cluster 4 | All other areas | 4,200 |
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Other Standard Allowances for Grade C1
| Allowance | Amount (KSh) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commuter allowance | 4,000/month | Paid to all C1 teachers regardless of station |
| Hardship allowance | 8,200/month | Only for stations officially designated as hardship areas |
| Leave allowance | 4,000/year | Paid with the January payroll |
| Disability guide allowance | 20,000/month | Only for teachers who guide learners with visual or other qualifying disabilities |
What a C1 Teacher Might Actually Take Home
A C1 teacher on the current basic scale, stationed in Nairobi and not in a hardship area, would typically receive:
- Basic salary: KSh 32,423–41,072
- House allowance: KSh 10,000
- Commuter allowance: KSh 4,000
That puts gross monthly pay, before statutory deductions (PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, Housing Levy and any pension contributions), at roughly KSh 46,400 to KSh 55,100, depending on salary point. A teacher in a hardship station or a rural area would see the mix shift — lower house allowance, but hardship allowance added on top.
Promotion Requirements: C1 to C2
This is where a lot of the older guidance in circulation is wrong, and it matters, because getting it wrong can mean missing an application window.
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The minimum service requirement for promotion from Primary Teacher I (C1) to Senior Teacher II (C2) is three years, not six months. Some older pages state six months; that figure does not reflect the current TSC promotion guidelines. Under the guidelines TSC has applied for the 2026/2027 financial year — and consistently with prior cycles — a teacher must:
- Have served for a minimum of three (3) years as Primary Teacher I in Grade C1, T-Scale 6.
- Hold a satisfactory rating in the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) process, with ratings from the last three years factored into interview scoring.
- Have a clean recent disciplinary record. Under Regulation 77 of the Code of Regulations for Teachers (2015), a teacher found guilty in a disciplinary process must wait two years before being considered for promotion; one who received an administrative warning must wait one year.
- Demonstrate the ability to supervise, mentor and provide professional support to fellow teachers, since C2 (Senior Teacher II) is a supervisory step and an entry point into the administrative cadre.
- Meet any additional requirement TSC specifies in the particular promotion advert, which can include minimum academic qualifications (typically at least a Diploma in Education) and, for some positions, compliance with Chapter Six integrity requirements (KRA, HELB, EACC and similar clearances).
Promotion Is Competitive, Not Automatic
Unlike the move from Primary Teacher II (B5) to Primary Teacher I (C1) — which happens automatically after three years without an interview — promotion from C1 to C2 is competitive and depends entirely on advertised vacancies.
TSC opens applications only when it has budgeted positions available, and demand consistently outstrips supply. In the most recent 2026/2027 promotion cycle, TSC advertised 13,490 Senior Teacher II posts (Advert No. 107/2026) against tens of thousands of eligible applicants.
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How Interviews Are Scored
TSC shortlists and scores applicants using a standardised scoresheet rather than a simple seniority list. For non-administrative promotions like C1 to C2, scoring typically weighs:
- Academic and professional qualifications
- Special roles (TSC/KNEC/KICD examiner, trainer, curriculum author, etc.)
- Length of stay in current grade
- TPAD performance ratings
- Age (older applicants closer to retirement generally score more highly, on the reasoning that they have fewer remaining opportunities)
- Co-curricular involvement
How to Apply
- Watch for a TSC advert on teachersonline.go.ke — promotions are not on a fixed annual calendar; they depend on available vacancies and budget.
- Log in with your TSC number and password.
- Confirm your TPAD status is complete and up to date before applying — an incomplete or unsatisfactory TPAD record is one of the most common reasons applications are rejected at shortlisting.
- Select the correct advert for your target grade (for C1 to C2, this is the Senior Teacher II advert).
- Complete the online declaration and submit before the stated deadline. TSC has consistently stated late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.
A Word on Upcoming Changes
TSC has been reviewing its Career Progression Guidelines, with proposals reportedly under stakeholder consultation to simplify the current B5–D5 grading framework. Nothing has been finalised or gazetted as a replacement system at the time of writing, so the C1-to-C2 process described above remains the operative one. If you’re planning an application, check the current TSC circulars and your regional TSC office before assuming any structural change has taken effect.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is TSC Primary Teacher I the same as T-Scale 6? Yes. Grade C1 and T-Scale 6 refer to the same grade — “C1” is the Job Group designation and “T-Scale 6” is the older teaching-scale designation still used interchangeably in TSC documents.
How long does it take to move from B5 to C1? Three years of service in Grade B5, with no interview required — this move is automatic.
Can a C1 teacher be promoted straight to C3 or higher? No. Promotion follows the established sequence of grades; a teacher must serve the minimum period and pass the competitive process at each step, unless TSC specifically restructures the grading system.
Does upgrading my academic qualification speed up promotion? A higher qualification can improve your competitiveness in the scored interview and, in some cases, opens eligibility for different entry grades (for example, degree holders in a secondary teaching option may enter directly at C2), but it does not override the minimum three-year service requirement in your current substantive grade.
Where can I check my exact current salary point? Your TSC payslip, accessible through the T-Pay portal, shows your specific salary point and incremental date, which is more precise than any published range.
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