Alongside the basic monthly salary, teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission receive different types of allowances.
The allowances are paid depending on various factors such as location of work station, job group of a teacher, responsibilities and even the learners he/she handles.
There are two types of allowances paid to teachers:-
~Remunerative
~Reimbursable
NOTE: Remunerative allowances are paid with the basic salary while reimbursable allowances are refundable upon application.
REMUNERATIVE ALLOWANCE
There are two types of remunerative allowances:
Automatic.
Those paid upon application.
Automatic allowances
Hardship allowance.
Leave allowance.
Commuter allowance.
House allowance.
Medical allowance.
1.Hardship allowance
All those teachers working from TSC recognized hardship areas receive hardship allowances monthly depending on their job group/grade. Hardship allowances are paid to respective teachers as shown in the image below:
2.Leave allowance
Image courtesy: UGC
2.Leave allowance
This type of allowance is paid yearly, usually it’s paid with the January salary of the preceding year. This allowance is paid according to ones’ job group as shown in the image below.
3.Commuter allowance
This allowance is paid to all teachers on a monthly basis depending on ones’ job group. Payment of this allowance is done according to individuals’ job group as shown below.
4.House allowance
House allowance is paid to all teachers based on individuals’ job grade and workstation. Teachers in higher job groups pocket higher house allowances compared to those in lower job groups. TSC has also classified work station in the country into four categories.
Nairobi
Former major Municipalities:(Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri, Kisii, Malindi and Kitale)
Other Former municipalities:
(Machakos,Kakamega,Bungoma,Embu,Homabay,Migori,Voi,Siaya,Lodwar,Meru,Limuru,Bomet,Webuye,Maua,Nanyuki,Nyahururu,Kapsabet,Kiambu,Mlolongo,AthiRiver,Wote,Vihiga,Kericho,Kimilili,Busia,Ruiru,Kikuyu,Kitui,Chuka,Kerugoya,Mumias and Runyenjes.
Other areas: All those regions not mentioned above
Teachers working in Nairobi receive higher amounts of house allowances whereas those operating from remote areas(other areas) receive low amounts. The allowances are paid as illustrated in the image below.
5.Medical allowance
This type of allowance is no longer paid to teachers ,its automatically deducted and paid directly to insurance cover institutions like NHIF .
Allowances Paid On application
a)Special duty allowance-This allowance is payable to teachers who are below job group M, appointed to an administrative position by the commission in Arid and Semi-arid areas within the country .
b)Responsibility allowance-This is paid to headteachers, deputy headteachers and senior teachers who are at or below Job group K.
c)Readers allowance-This type of allowance is payable to a visually impaired teacher who has engaged a reader whose minimum qualification must be(KCSE D+or KCE DIV. III). Otherwise known as aid allowance, readers allowance is paid at a rate of sh 15,00 per month to blind teachers and those confined to a wheel chair because of physical disability.
d)Interpreters allowance-This is paid to all deaf teachers who engage interpreters while on study leave.
e)Transfer allowance-This allowance is payable to teachers transferred by TSC from one district to another
f)special school allowance-This is paid to teachers who have specialized in special needs education and have been deployed to teach in special schools/units.
REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES
TSC reimburses the following expenses to teachers:-
Travelling expenses.
Quota per diem.
1.Travelling expenses
A teacher is eligible for reimbursement ONLY in the following Circumstances:-
While travelling to attend an interview.
Where a teacher interdiction has been revoked.
When travelling to a station on first posting which is outside home District.
When travelling from a station outside home district on retirement.
Teachers working from hardship areas travelling to and from home during official school holidays(The home district MUST be outside the hardship area).
2.Quota per diem
This is the daily subsistence allowance which is paid to teachers on official assignment .Application for this allowance should be made at least 14 days before travelling.
