Teachers across Kenya are set to receive a major financial boost following the signing of a landmark Ksh 33 billion Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covering the period 2025–2029.
The agreement, sealed on Friday, July 18, between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and key education unions, is being hailed as a transformative win for educators—particularly those at the lower end of the salary scale.
The breakthrough deal is the result of extensive negotiations involving the TSC, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET).
Under the new agreement, teachers in the top job group D5 will now earn up to Ksh 167,415 per month—a 5 percent increase from their current salaries. However, the most significant gains will be felt by the lowest-paid educators, who will receive a substantial 29.6 percent salary increment. For example, teachers currently earning around Ksh23,000 will now take home approximately Ksh 29,000 monthly.
The salary increases will be implemented gradually over five years, with the government allocating Ksh8.4 billion annually. By the end of the agreement in June 2029, the cumulative cost will reach Ksh33 billion.
The revised salary structure takes effect immediately, and teachers are expected to begin receiving their increased pay by the end of July 2025. The new pay bands affect all teachers from entry-level C1 to senior-level D5.
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Here’s a breakdown of the revised salary scales:
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Job Group C1: Ksh35,300 – Ksh47,300
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Job Group C2: Ksh41,400 – Ksh57,200
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Job Group C3: Ksh49,800 – Ksh66,200
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Job Group C4: Ksh58,600 – Ksh77,100
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Job Group C5: Ksh69,700 – Ksh96,100
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Job Group D1: Ksh81,000 – Ksh99,300
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Job Group D2: Ksh95,300 – Ksh116,000
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Job Group D3: Ksh109,200 – Ksh133,300
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Job Group D4: Ksh121,800 – Ksh150,700
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Job Group D5: Ksh150,000 – Ksh167,415
KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori lauded the deal, calling it a long-overdue correction of historical injustices. He noted that the previous 2016–2021 CBA heavily favored school administrators, while classroom teachers—the engine of the education system—were largely left behind.
“This time, we have ensured that the gains are evenly spread across all job groups, with special focus on classroom teachers who are the backbone of the profession,” Misori stated.
The CBA also provides for the gradual phasing out of the much-criticized Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), introduced in 2018. Teachers have long decried the CPG as restrictive and punitive, tying promotions to mandatory training and performance appraisals many viewed as unfair.
Union leaders confirmed that while allowances will largely remain unchanged, the scrapping of the CPG is a huge victory. A new, more equitable promotion and appraisal system will be developed in consultation with all stakeholders.
This deal follows weeks of tension between teachers and the government, driven by delays in salary reviews and uncertainty around job progression. A closed-door meeting earlier in the week between the TSC and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) paved the way for the successful negotiations.
The signing of the CBA sends a clear signal of renewed government commitment to improving the welfare of educators. It is also expected to boost teacher morale, enhance classroom performance, and ultimately improve learning outcomes for millions of Kenyan students.
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