Thousands of teachers across Kenya are angry after receiving what they call an unfair and disappointing salary increment under the new collective bargaining agreement signed between their unions and the Teachers Service Commission.
The pay rise, which came into effect on July 1, 2025, has sparked outrage as many teachers found only a few hundred shillings added to their monthly salaries, despite promises of major improvements.
The unions involved in the agreement KNUT, KUPPET, and KUSNET had all presented the deal as a major win for teachers, but the reality on the ground tells a very different story.
Many teachers had high hopes that this salary review would finally improve their lives and allow them to cope with the growing cost of living. Instead, they were met with what they are now calling an insult.
Some teachers received increases as low as KSh 500 per month. Others even discovered negative balances on their payslips. One teacher from Nyeri, identified as Janet, said they expected to smile all the way from the bank but ended up crying.
Her comments reflect the disappointment shared by many teachers across the country who feel betrayed and misled.
A look at the numbers shows just how minimal the increases really were. A Chief Principal in Grade D5, who was previously earning KSh 131,380, only received an additional KSh 985.
At the top of the scale, a principal earning KSh 162,539 saw an increase of just KSh 1,219. A Senior Master II under Grade C4 now takes home KSh 79,215 after receiving only KSh 590 more.
A primary school teacher in Grade C1, who was expecting up to a 29% increase, got only KSh 1,318 extra. The lowest-paid teacher, previously earning KSh 23,830, was given a KSh 1,198 raise.
Union leaders are now being questioned about the percentages that were widely shared. According to KNUT’s Nyeri Branch Chair, the 29% mentioned was not based on the current salary but rather a projected salary to be achieved in 2029.
This means the actual increment for now is much lower than what teachers were led to believe. In Kisii, KUPPET County Chair Joseph Abincha said teachers want to know how TSC calculated the increments.He said many teachers are frustrated and need full clarity on the percentage distribution over the next four years.
In Bomet, teachers gathered in groups, trying to understand the small changes on their payslips, still in disbelief at how little their income had changed.
One teacher said they feel betrayed because what they were promised is not what they received. Even though the CBA also touched on allowances like house and hardship, many teachers are now being taxed more due to being pushed into higher income brackets, which ends up reducing the effect of the already small increase.
Teachers now say they are left struggling, disappointed, and demanding answers from both their unions and the government.
