TSC Creates New Teacher Grades as Final Phase of CBA is Implemented

Many teachers employed by the Teacher Service Commission (TSC) now have new job titles. This is after TSC implemented the fourth and consequently final phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

In this move by TSC, some job titles were abolished and all this was done in a move intended to promote efficiency in the management of teachers and payroll records.

The TSC Reference Manual describes the titles as originating in CBA4, which was missing in the other three phases of CBA that had since been installed.

The New Teacher Grades

One of the introduced job titles is Senior Lecturer I. This is a promotional grade for the Lenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and tutors of teacher training colleges.

According to the Reference Manual, all teachers in job group M and N in service at tertiary institutions as at 30th June 2017 were automatically converted to Senior Lecturer III and Senior Lecturer II in that order with effect 1st July 2017 and are eligible to progress to Senior Lecturer I once promoted.

Previously the highest grade for the tutors under Senior Lecturer was Senior Lecturer II. The lowest was Senior Lecturer IV.

Tutors who have been promoted during the fourth and final phase of the Collective Bargaining Agreement will earn Kshs. 91,041 per month across the board.

This is an increase in the Senior Lecturer II grade who earns at least Kshs. 77,840 and up to a maximum of Kshs. 85,269 per month.

At the moment, a Senior Lecturer earns a sum starting from Kshs 62,272 up to Kshs. 64,631. Any promotion on this grade will definitely mean higher salaries.

Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) have also not been left out as they have now been distinguished from school administrators. CSOs were converted as administrators in primary schools when the Collective Bargaining Agreement was implemented in 2017.

As a result, a Curriculum Support Officer designated as a Head Teacher at grade C5 will now be designated as Curriculum Support Officer II at grade C5 T-Scale 10. Unfortunately, the monthly salary remains unaffected, as the maximum earner for this grade will be taking home Kshs 64,631 and Kshs 62,272 as the minimum, per month.

CSOs with designation as Senior Head Teacher at grade D1 will be known as CSO I at grade D1 T-Scale 11 and their salaries will not change.

Also affected in the new changes are Special needs teachers as the highest rank, Senior Masters-SNE at grade C5 T-Scale 10, has been abolished. The highest grade is C4 T-Scale 9.

Secondary Teacher I designated at grade C3 is titled SNE Teacher I-Secondary at grade C4 while secondary Teacher III and II grade C1 and C2 in that order are designated SNE Teacher II-Secondary at grade C3.

Senior Teacher I at grade C3 has a new title designated as SNE Senior Teacher – Primary at grade C4 and Senior Teacher II grade C2 assigned SNE Teacher I at grade C3.

A Primary Teacher II and I at grades B5 and C1 in that order were moved to grade SNE Teacher II-Primary grade C2.

The highest-ranked will earn Kshs. 55,604 maximum and Kshs 52,308 minimum according to CBA4. When this is compared to CBA3 the maximum was Kshs. 62,272 and the minimum as Kshs. 51,632.

In this category, the highest-paid teacher will take home Kshs. 53,943 while the lowest will earn Kshs. 43,154 per month.

According to the TSC Reference Manual, the job designations for SNE Teachers in primary and post-primary schools were developed and applied to teachers who were deployed on or after 1st July 2018and will also not qualify for payment regarding any special salary.

There are also other new titles included in CBA4. They include Secondary Teacher III-UT Certificate at grade C1 T-Scale 6 and Secondary Teacher II-Technical Certificate at grade C2 T-Scale 7.

Despite the manual giving a clear pathway on who merits qualification to the aforementioned titles, nothing is given concerning the two.

The highest incepted title will take home Kshs. 33,994 and Kshs. 27,195 minimum after the implementation of the fourth phase of CBA.

The position of Deputy Principal IV at grade C5, T-Scale 10 has been eliminated. The new designations under Deputy Principal will be I, II, and III.