President William Ruto promised that teachers and government workers would get a raise at the end of this month. However, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has not finished the review process needed to factor in the rise.
On June 30, President Ruto said that teachers and other government workers would start getting their higher pay this month. At that meeting, the President promised officials that teachers would get a pay rise of at least 10% “when the 2023–2024 Finance Bill is passed.” whose implementation has been put on hold by the High Court after a petition by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah.
Already most of the teachers have received their salaries and the salaries show that they have been deducted contribution to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), to which they have never contributed before. This is because their pension is through a provident fund based on their job grade. Deductions have been made for the July salaries.
Additionally, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) rate has increased marginally, which has an impact on the majority of teachers’ net salaries.
For instance, a teacher in job group C1 who had NHIF contributions withdrawn from their salary in the amount of Sh 1,100 also had NSSF contributions deducted in the amount of Sh 1,200.
Primary and junior secondary schools’ intern teachers weren’t exempt either. After the newly implemented deductions were applied, about one thousand shillings were taken out.
Despite the fact that some instructors got their wages with annual raises and others with arrears, the deductions have drastically reduced the overall net income.
By Abigael Chemok