Teachers’ Salaries Set to Rise with New 2025–2029 CBA: A Boost for Educators in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya – July 19, 2025, 09:49 AM EAT

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have signed a groundbreaking 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), promising significant salary increments for Kenyan teachers. This agreement, effective immediately, will see the lowest-paid teachers receive a 29% pay rise, while top earners will benefit from a 5% increase, marking a major step toward improving teacher welfare across the country.

Salary Increment Details

The new CBA introduces revised basic monthly pay scales, with increments spread over three years (2025–2027). The salary adjustments reflect a tiered approach, with lower-grade teachers seeing the highest percentage increases to address historical pay disparities. Here’s the breakdown of the new basic monthly pay ranges:

B5: Sh28,600–Sh37,100
C1: Sh35,300–Sh47,300
C2: Sh41,400–Sh57,200
C3: Sh49,800–Sh66,200
C4: Sh58,600–Sh77,100
C5: Sh69,700–Sh96,100
D1: Sh81,000–Sh99,300
D2: Sh95,300–Sh116,000
D3: Sh109,200–Sh133,300
D4: Sh121,800–Sh150,700
D5: Sh135,300–Sh167,400

The increment percentages vary by grade, with the lowest-paid (C1) receiving a 32% increase over three years, and the highest-paid (D5) seeing a 16% rise. The proposed progression is as follows:

C1: 32%
C2: 30%
C3: 28%
C5: 26%
D1: 24%
D2: 22%
D3: 20%
D4: 18%
D5: 16%

Year-by-Year Salary Progression

The increments will be phased in over three years, starting from July 2025. Below is the proposed basic salary progression based on current and adjusted figures:

Job Grade	Current Basic (Low)	Current Basic (High)	% Increment	Year 1 Basic (Low)	Year 1 Basic (High)	Year 2 Basic (Low)	Year 2 Basic (High)	Year 3 Basic (Low)	Year 3 Basic (High)
C1	29,787	37,234	32%	32,964.28	41,205.63	36,480.47	45,600.89	40,371.72	50,464.99
C2	38,826	47,858	30%	42,708.60	52,643.80	46,979.46	57,908.18	51,677.41	63,699.00
C3	45,671	59,084	28%	49,933.63	64,598.51	54,594.10	70,627.70	59,689.55	77,219.62
C5	62,272	79,651	26%	67,668.91	86,554.09	73,533.55	94,055.44	79,906.45	102,206.91
D1	78,625	96,381	24%	84,915.00	104,091.48	91,708.20	112,418.80	99,044.86	121,412.30
D2	92,496	112,633	22%	99,279.04	120,892.75	106,559.50	129,758.22	114,373.87	139,273.82
D3	106,043	129,463	20%	113,112.53	138,093.87	120,653.37	147,300.12	128,696.93	157,120.13
D4	118,242	146,286	18%	125,336.52	155,063.16	132,856.71	164,366.95	140,828.11	174,228.97
D5	131,380	162,539	16%	138,386.93	171,207.75	145,767.57	180,338.83	153,541.84	189,956.90

*Note: Figures are approximate and based on the provided increment percentages applied progressively over three years.*

Additionally, allowances will see a 20% increase, though specific figures are yet to be detailed in official releases. This includes commuter, house, leave, and hardship allowances, which will further enhance teachers’ take-home pay.

Context and Reactions

The agreement, signed on July 18, 2025, follows months of negotiations amid pressure from teachers’ unions, including KUPPET and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), who had threatened strikes over delayed talks. Posts on X reflect widespread optimism, with users noting the lowest-paid teachers’ salary rising from Sh23,000 to Sh29,000, and the highest earners reaching up to Sh167,415 by 2027. The deal is seen as a response to economic pressures and the critical role teachers play in implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

Information from recent web sources, such as Education News Hub and The Standard, confirms that the TSC secured funding through a supplementary budget to implement these changes, with the first adjustments expected in the July 2025 payroll. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) played a key role in approving the monetary and non-monetary components after consultations on July 15, 2025.

Implications and Next Steps

This CBA is expected to boost teacher morale, retention, and the quality of education in Kenya. However, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has yet to sign the agreement, with ongoing talks indicating potential further adjustments. TSC Acting CEO Eveleen Mitei emphasized that the deal aligns with the government’s commitment to education sector reforms.

Teachers are advised to check their August 2025 payslips for the initial increments and arrears backdated to July 1, 2025. For the latest updates, follow TSC announcements or union communications.

Stay tuned for more details as negotiations with KNUT progress and allowance figures are finalized!