BOM Teachers Pay Updates: Complaints, Names Mismatch, and Logistical Protocols Blamed for Payment Delays

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It is barely a week after Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha spoke with certainty saying that the Board of Management, BOM, Teachers, and Staff salary payment money had been disbursed. However, on the ground, as they say, things are different. The victims, teachers in this case are left wondering, where did their money go? Or was this an empty promise or foul-play?

Teacher.co.ke has found that the salary payment of BOM teachers and staff has been delayed due to numerous complaints, mismatching names of individuals on the payment list, and the Ministry of Education’s logistical protocols that have to be followed.

Delipidated Conditions BOM Teachers and Staff are In

Many Kenyans, among them the BOM teachers and school Support Staff, were sent packing and on compulsory leaves, with no pay completely, with no clear indication when they will resume.

Desperation and hopelessness is an understatement in describing the conditions that the Kenyan BOM teaching and support staff are undergoing.

The teachers are not only broke with anything to put on the table, they are living in delipidated conditions that degrade the standards, dignity, and respect that should accompany any teacher.

How BOM Teachers and Staff Got Fixed

Barely six months ago since the onset of the noble Coronavirus into Kenya, schools have remained closed. This has in itself affected a majority of people who depended on schools to survive. Of great concern to this group of people are the BOM teachers who have nowhere to turn to. Although security officers, groundsmen and women, matrons and even cooks were affected, teachers tend to be the dying lot here. Their predicament is resulted by the inability to fend for themselves owing to the guidelines that restrict home-based coaching of groups of learners as well as the uncertain period of closure of learning institutions. This has thus brought necessity as the mother of invention for the go-getters but has on the contrary led others to live in total regrets and in abject poverty.

Where is the BOM Teachers and Staff Pay as Promised by Government?

A critical analysis of the possible causes of the mismatch in the Ministry of Education disbursement of funds announcement and the final payment of the teachers may not be clearly understood on the ground.

The Initial Reversal Process

Earlier on the vote head released by the Ministry of Education saw a number of teachers readily prepared to receive their salaries but this was however reversed owing to complaints by a section of leaders within the fraternity that claimed some names were omitted. This prompted for reversal of the cash.

Mismatch in the Teachers Register

Based on reliable sources within the Ministry of Education, there was a mismatch in terms of the number of the teachers who were to be the true beneficiaries of this program and those who forged their way in. This thus needed more time for verification and proof. The Ministry of Education, however, claims that they are through with the verification process.

Education CAS Zack Kinuthia. [Photo/Courtesy]

“What is holding the money is the Unverified data that was submitted to us from the field, vis-a-viz the data we have with the Commission,” wrote Education CAS Zack Kinuthia on his Facebook page.

Kinuthia claimed that the Heads of schools sent and added illegitimate data of teachers not registered by the Teachers Service Commission TSC.

“…this meant that money would have gone to the wrong people, or more people than is the reality, denying the genuine beneficiaries…,” added Kinuthia.

The Education CAS has however confirmed that the verification process was completed, and approved for release of the money.

Ministry’s Logistics Protocols

The money may have been released from the treasury to the Ministry of Education, but not yet disbursed to teachers based on the protocols to be followed, Teacher.co.ke found out.

The Ministry of Education should act quickly before creating unnecessary tension among the BOM teachers, support staff, and the general public over this matter. With the clarity of purpose and objectives they should do this knowing that the earliest bird catches the worm.

BOM Teachers and Staff are Broke, with No one else to Turn To

However little the money may look to the Government, the Ksh. 10,000 is what the broke and hunger-stricken BOM teachers and staff are pleading to have sooner than now.

Let the Government hasten the process and pay the BOM teachers.

#PayBoMTeachers #BOMTeachers