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The Departmental Committee on Education chaired by Hon. Julius Melly (Tinderet) onΒ Wednesday, July 17, 2024 met with the ChiefΒ Executive Officer (CEO), Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Mrs. Nancy Macharia to consider the 2024/25 Supplementary Estimates 1.
During the meeting Members raised concerns about the proposed Kshs.10.3 billion reduction in the budget for the TSC in the 2024/25 budget.
Mrs. Macharia told the Committee that the cuts would primarily impact recurrent expenditure, affecting areas including teacher recruitment, training, implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the medical cover.
She added that the cuts would affect the Commission's ability to implement the planned recruitment of 20,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers inΒ October 2024Β Β and conversion of 46,000 interns to permanent status.
"We are expected to recruit additional teachers and convert 46,000 JSS intern teachers to permanent and pensionable as per the initial budget. As of now we are unable to do that. However, we have written to the National Treasury on this matter,β she said.
Β Lawmakers expressed concern about the impact the cuts would have on teacher recruitment, promotion, and the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed with teacher unions inΒ August 2023. The CBA included a salary increase of up to 9.5 percent spread over two years.
Furthermore, the proposed budget reduces the provision for medical cover, group life, and personal accident cover for teachers by 50 percent, creating a shortfall of Kshs.11.89 billion. This could jeopardize the continuation of the current three-year medical scheme for teachers in its third year.
Hon. Melly emphasized the importance of adequately funding the Ministry of Education and TSC, stating that if not funded, core Ministries like that of Education and TSC will be crippled.
Β The Committee asked the National Treasury to provide additional sources of funds to implement the CBA, medical scheme, recruitment of JSS interns, and promotion of teachers.