By Education Team
The three schemes of service in the Teaching Service have been collapsed into a single scheme known as Common Establishment Grades covering all teachers in the Public Service.
The new changes backdated to November 8th, 2017 have drastically affected the grading system in the Teaching Service and the salary scales in each of the 68 grades established by the Government following the recommendation by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
The latest development is contained in a report prepared by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) which details new policies and procedural changes at the Commission aimed at professionalising the Teaching Service.
The new grading structure and salary adjustment have taken into account the Job Evaluation Report. More so, the recently introduced Career Profession Guidelines provide all basic requirements for career progression, training, and promotion of teachers.
In a circular (NO:7/2018) dated May 2nd, 2018 addressed to County Directors, Principals of Government-sponsored middle level colleges, Director of CEMASTEA, Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) and Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), TSC Chief Executive, Nancy Macharia says the Career Progression Guidelines have provided a broad framework in school management, administration and have ensured that curriculum implementation is structured and every teachers is clear on what is expected of him/her upon joining the teaching career.
“The guidelines effectively replace the three schemes of service namely, Scheme of Service for Non-Graduate Teachers, Scheme of Service for Graduate Teachers and Scheme of Service for Technical Teachers/Lecturers,” states Macharia.
The Job Evaluation led to paradigm shift in career progression of teachers; this includes a new grading structure, substantive appointment of Institutional Administrators, and the introduction of Teachers Professional Development (TPD).
Under the new dispensation, all teachers regardless of their level of training and the positions they hold in their respective institutions would now be pooled in a single grading structure with eleven scales based on the relative worth of each job.
Teachers would not be required to sit for interviews to be upgraded to the next grade.
Promotion of teachers and lecturers will be subjected to existence of funded vacancies; minimum qualification per grade; relevant TPD modules taken, relevant experience, and more importantly, satisfactory performance in-and-outside classroom.
The Commission has established grades for each category of institution, these include eight grades for Primary school teachers; ten grades for Secondary school teachers; six grades for teachers at CEMASTEA; eight grades for teachers in TVET institutions; seven grades for teachers in Teacher Training Colleges; eight grades for teachers in Kenya Institute of Special Education; five grades in Special Needs Education (SNE) – Primary schools; eight grades for teachers in SNE – Secondary schools and eight grades for teachers in SNE TVET institutions.
Primary Teacher II will be the lowest grade in the Teaching Service. Teachers entering the Public Service at this grade would earn Sh19, 224 rising to a maximum of Sh27, 195.
Primary Teacher I will be a promotional grade for Primary school teachers, and to attain this grade one must have served as a Primary Teacher II Scale 5 for a minimum period of three years. One must have also successfully undertaken the relevant TPD modules.
This cadre of teachers will earn Sh25, 929 at minimum rising to a maximum of Sh33, 994.
Senior Teacher II will also be a promotional grade and an entry to the administrative cadre.
Promotion to this grade will be competitive and subject to availability of vacancies in the establishment. One must have served as a Primary Teacher I for a minimum of three years to be considered for this grade. This group of teachers will pocket Sh27, 325 at minimum shooting to Sh34, 955 at maximum.
Senior Teacher I is another promotional grade for administrators of Primary institutions.
Senior Teacher I will be in charge of other teachers, and in the absence of the Head of institution and the deputy, he or she will be in charge. Senior Teacher I will earn between Sh39, 532 and Sh53, 943 per month.
To be promoted to this grade one must have served as Senior Teacher II for a minimum of three years, and undertaken the relevant TPD modules.
Deputy Head Teacher II is also a promotional grade, and the holder of the position will be answerable to the Head Teacher especially on matters touching on development, implementation of curriculum, education policies and programmes.
In the absence of the Head Teacher, the deputy will be in charge. He will also have to go through TPD programme to earn a promotion.
Deputy Head Teacher II will earn Sh26, 610 at minimum rising to a maximum of Sh52, 308 per month. Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher I will earn between Sh29,427 and Sh62,272 per month, while the Senior Head Teacher will pocket Sh55,231 at minimum level rising to a maximum of Sh85,269 per month.
Secondary Teacher III will be the entry grade for Secondary school teachers who are holders of Diploma in Education, and will pocket between Sh25, 929 (minimum) and Sh33, 994 (maximum) per month.
Secondary Teacher II will be an entry grade for Secondary school teachers who are holders of a Bachelors degree in Education or its equivalent.
It is also a promotional grade for holders of Diploma in Education. They will earn Sh32, 988 at starting point rising to Sh43, 694 per month.
Secondary Teacher I will be a promotional grade; this cadre of teachers will pocket Sh37, 721 at minimum, rising to a maximum of Sh53, 943 per month.
The rest of the new pay packages will be as follows: Senior Master or Mistress III (Sh29,427 – Sh62,272); Senior Master or Mistress II/I (Sh55,231-Sh85,269); Deputy Principal IV (Sh55,231 – Sh85,269); Deputy Principal III/II/I (Sh59,286 – Sh91,041); Principal (Sh59,286 – Sh104,644) and Senior Principal would be pocketing in the range of Sh87,900 to Sh121,890 per month.
