KUPPET Calls SRC to Harmonize Teachers House Allowance
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education (KUPPET) is calling on the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to harmonize the housing allowance for teachers across all counties in Kenya.
According to KUPPET Secretary General, Akelo Misori, the current allowances for teachers have not been updated since 2012 and are not realistic.
Misori specifically pointed out that the allowance of Sh3500 for teachers working in cities like Nairobi is not sufficient for them to afford decent housing. This has lead to financial strain and stress to teachers.
“When you give a teacher in Kileleshwa Sh3500 house allowance where do you expect them to stay?” Misori paused.
“Our strategies will not be limited to cheap methods like a demonstration. We will use real strategy to achieve the demands we want,” Misori said.
He added that the current allowance only allows teachers to stay in slums, and called on the SRC to study the economic index and adjust the allowances accordingly.
“They need to study the economic index, what Sh6000 could pay for ten years ago is not same as right now,”Nthurima said.
Teachers play a vital role in the education system and deserve to have access to decent housing. This can be argued as a basic human right and an important component of teachers’ overall well-being and job satisfaction.
Teachers are essential workers, and as such, they deserve to be compensated fairly for their work.
In 2019, the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) published a report that showed that Kenyan teachers were paid less than other professionals with similar qualifications and experience. The report also revealed that the average salary of a Kenyan teacher was lower than the poverty line, which is around Ksh. 23,000 ($230) per month.
In addition, teachers in Kenya often have to contend with poor working conditions, inadequate resources, and high levels of stress. This can make it difficult for them to perform their duties effectively and can lead to high levels of burnout and turnover.
The poor pay and working conditions for Kenyan teachers have been cited as a major contributing factor to the shortage of qualified teachers in the country. This, in turn, has a negative impact on the quality of education in Kenya, which can affect the future prospects of students, and the country’s overall development.
The government of Kenya has been working to address this issue, but progress has been slow, and it is a complex issue that requires addressing multiple factors such as budget and economic situation, as well as creating a sustainable long-term plan.
KUPPET Calls SRC to Harmonize Teachers House Allowance
