The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) is now lobbying Parliament to anchor a raft of new allowances for teachers into law, in a bid to safeguard educators' welfare and enhance professional motivation.
Appearing before the National Assembly's Education Committee on Thursday, KUPPET tabled proposals to amend the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Act, seeking the introduction of per diem for teachers on official duty away from their stations, risk allowance for science teachers handling hazardous chemicals, and a postgraduate allowance for those with Master's or PhD qualifications.
The union also called for acting allowances to be granted automatically to teachers assigned administrative duties without formal appointments, and for prompt payment of transfer allowances within one month of deployment. "These proposed amendments are aimed at ensuring fairness and equity in remuneration by anchoring them in law rather than leaving them at the discretion of the employer," KUPPET said in its submission to the committee.
The proposal emerged on Thursday as the committee deliberate on a bill to anchor all allowances in the teaching sector in law.
