MPs demand answers over delayed allowances for 99,000 acting teachers

Members of Parliament have questioned why 99,000 teachers serving in acting roles have not received their allowances despite funds being allocated in the national budget.

The National Assembly’s Education Committee raised the concern during a stakeholders’ meeting on the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment Bill), 2024.

The bill, sponsored by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, seeks to grant special allowances to teachers in acting positions.

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) said the affected teachers have been left to suffer, even though the money for their allowances was set aside.

“Thousands of teachers are out there acting in various capacities and are not being paid their allowances. The number of teachers in acting positions has grown significantly over the years,” said KUPPET Secretary General Omboko Milemba.

He added: “TSC is failing to compensate teachers for their additional labor. This is why we support the bill – to ensure that these teachers get the support they deserve.”

Milemba urged the committee to pass the proposed law, saying it would help address the suffering teachers are facing.

However, the bill has faced opposition from several key agencies, including the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Public Service Commission (PSC), Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the State Law Office, the Auditor General’s office, and the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC).

Despite this, lawmakers pressed the TSC to explain the delay in disbursing allowances.

“This bill is a desperate measure arising from TSC's failure to fill vacant positions in a timely manner,” said committee chairman Julius Melly.

“How can 99,000 teachers be in acting positions without pay when the funds are already available in the budget? We demand a detailed explanation of the numbers and the reasons for this delay.”

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera also called for full disclosure on the issue. “We need detailed information on the number of teachers in acting positions, how much they have been paid, how much they are still owed, and the reasons for the delay in payment,” he said.

Opposing the bill, representatives from TSC and other agencies argued that the proposed changes could be implemented through existing laws.

“The commission’s position is that the legislative amendments proposed by the Honorable Member should await the anticipated reforms in the education and teaching sector,” said Allan Sitima, Senior Deputy Director of Legal Services at TSC.