TSC To Effect Appropriate Allowances In Newly Mapped Hardship Areas.
The Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC) always updates its list of hardship areas on a regular basis.
Tutors assigned to these areas are paid a monthly hardship allowance, which serves as a motivator because they face life-threatening conditions ranging from a poor working environment to health risks.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) revealed on Tuesday that it is waiting for the Public Service Commission (PSC) to release a new map of hardship areas so that teachers in those areas can receive appropriate allowances.
The most recent mapping was completed a few years ago and needed to be updated.
CURRENT TSC HARDSHIP AREAS
The following counties (sub-counties) in Kenya have been identified by the commission as hardship areas for teachers:
S/NO.COUNTY (SUB-COUNTIES)1.Baringo North, Tiaty East, Tiaty West and Marigat sub-counties in Baringo County.2.Garissa County3.Suba and Mbita sub-counties in Homa Bay County4.Isiolo County5.Mashuuru, Loitoktok and Kajiado West sub-counties in Kajiado County6.Kwale County7.Magarini and Ganze in Kilifi County8.Lamu County9.Mandera County10.Marsabit County11.Mumoni, Mutito North and Tseikuru Sub-Counties in Kitui County12.Narok South and Narok North sub-counties in Narok County13.Samburu County14.Taita Taveta County15.Tana River County16.Turkana County17.Wajir County18.West Pokot County
It should be noted that while some counties have been designated as hardship areas, the commission has not designated all Sub-counties as hardship centres.
Due to improved infrastructure, the Commission recently excluded Nyandarua county, Muranga county, Kandara sub-county, Kigumo sub-county, and Nyahururu from hardship areas.
TSC HARDSHIP ALLOWANCE
– TSC HARDSHIP GROUP ALLOWANCE PM
– B5 – 6,600
– C1 – 8,200
– C2 – 10,900
– C3 – 12,300
– C4 – 14,650
– C5 – 17,100
– D1 – 27,300
– D2 – 27,300
– D3 – 31,500
– D4 – 31,500
– D5 – 38,100
Thousands of teachers from four sub-counties are bracing for possible salary increases following a favourable review of the recently completed data collection exercise.
Teachers in Nyando, Chonyi, Lungalunga, and Suba may soon be able to smile to the bank, as the government plans to implement recommendations from teams that gathered data on hard-hit areas.
However, payment cannot be made until the official new hardship areas are gazetted and a budget to capture the new areas is passed.
Though more sub-counties were given positive reviews, the four received overwhelming support, with some teams recommending specific zones and schools where the allowances should be made.
The Principal Secretary for Interior Services dispatched five teams on September 5th, last year, for a countrywide data collection exercise aimed at reviewing hardship areas for public service employees.
The teams, comprised of representatives from the Ministries of Public Service and Gender, Interior and Coordination of National Government, Education, The National Treasury and Planning.
The Public Service Commission, Teachers Service Commission, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Council of Governors, Commission on Revenue Allocation, Salaries and Remuneration Commission, and The Judiciary, were also dispatched to various counties to collect data.
The exercise was a continuation of the first phase, which was completed by the Technical Committee during the fiscal year 2020/2021.
According to the PS, the Technical Committee completed phase I of the exercise during the fiscal year 2020/21.
TSC Promise To Consider Areas With Teachers Shortage During Recruiting And Deployment
However, due to financial constraints, phase II of the exercise was unable to be completed in the same year.’
The officers visited Lamu, Kilifi, and Kwale counties. Chonyi in Kilifi county and Lungalunga in Kwale were considered to be included in the list of hardship areas.
Other areas visited included Laikipia, Meru North (Nyambene), Tharaka Nithi (Tharaka, Marimanti), and Nyandarua (Nyahururu).
The Team also visited West Pokot, Turkana, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Baringo, Suba, Nyatike, Seme, and Tinderet.
More areas in Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties, as well as Kitui North (Mutha), Kitui South (Endau and Malalani), Kitui East and Mwingi North (Kaningo), and Kalama areas were visited.
Others include Murang’a (Kakuzi, Maragua), Kiambu (Ndeiya), Nakuru (Mbogoni and Makongeni), and Nyeri (Kieni).
TSC chief executive officer Nancy Macharia stated on Tuesday that the shortage of teachers, particularly in the North-East, is caused by frequent terrorist attacks, which cause teachers to flee the areas.
Apart from terrorist attacks, Macharia pointed out that the country’s teacher shortage is the result of government underfunding.
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She urged teachers who had retired at the age of 60 but had not yet reached the age of 65 to apply for positions in the North-Eastern region.
Dr Macharia also urged the government to deploy 40, 000 more teachers and to provide funding for interns and permanent teachers to be deployed.
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TSC To Effect Appropriate Allowances In Newly Mapped Hardship Areas.
