The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced that teachers serving in acting capacities will temporarily go without acting allowances due to a massive Sh2.2 billion budget shortfall affecting the commission’s operations.
The development is expected to affect thousands of teachers across the country who have been handling additional administrative responsibilities in schools while awaiting substantive appointments. The move comes at a time when many educators are already grappling with rising living costs and increased workloads in schools.
According to TSC officials, the budget deficit has forced the commission to prioritize essential expenditures such as salaries, statutory deductions, and ongoing teacher recruitment processes. As a result, acting allowances for teachers serving as principals, deputy principals, headteachers, and senior administrators have been suspended until further notice.
The decision has sparked concern among teachers and education stakeholders, with many arguing that educators in acting positions continue to perform demanding leadership duties without the financial compensation attached to the roles.
Acting appointments are common within the education sector, especially when school administrators retire, transfer, or leave office before replacements are officially appointed. Teachers assigned to these positions are often expected to oversee school management, discipline, academic performance, budgeting, and administration despite lacking formal confirmation in the positions.
Teacher unions have expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, saying the withdrawal of acting allowances could demoralize affected teachers and negatively impact school management. Union leaders argue that teachers who take on extra responsibilities deserve compensation regardless of the commission’s financial challenges.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) have both previously pushed TSC to streamline promotions and reduce delays in confirming teachers serving in acting capacities.
Education stakeholders now fear that prolonged delays in payment of acting allowances may discourage teachers from accepting administrative responsibilities in the future. Some school heads have warned that the situation could create leadership gaps in learning institutions if teachers decline acting appointments due to lack of financial incentives.
The Sh2.2 billion budget gap facing TSC has also raised broader concerns about funding within the education sector. Over the years, the commission has consistently cited inadequate funding as a major challenge affecting teacher recruitment, promotions, and implementation of collective bargaining agreements.
The commission has in recent months been under pressure to recruit more teachers to address staffing shortages in public schools across the country. Additionally, TSC has been implementing teacher promotion interviews and deploying educators to junior secondary schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), further stretching its financial resources.
Education analysts say the current situation highlights the need for increased government funding to support the growing demands within the education sector. With rising student enrollment and curriculum reforms requiring more personnel and resources, stakeholders argue that adequate financing is necessary to maintain stability in schools.
Affected teachers are now calling on Parliament and the National Treasury to intervene and allocate additional funds to the commission. Many believe the suspension of acting allowances undermines the sacrifices made by teachers who step into leadership roles to ensure smooth operations in schools.
Despite the setback, TSC has assured teachers that efforts are ongoing to address the budget deficit and restore the allowances once additional funding becomes available. The commission has also urged teachers in acting positions to continue supporting school operations as discussions on funding continue.
As the debate over teacher welfare intensifies, attention is now shifting to how the government will respond to the growing financial needs within the education sector. For many teachers, the hope remains that TSC will soon secure enough funding to reinstate the allowances and improve working conditions for educators serving in acting capacities.