Teachers fume over plan to slash their hardship allowance

A storm is brewing among Kenya’s teachers as the government prepares to implement a revised hardship allowance policy that could see thousands of educators lose their benefits.

Teachers argue that the policy will demotivate them, severely affecting their service delivery and morale. The Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association (KETHAWA) has strongly condemned the government’s plan to reduce hardship allowances, calling it a continuation of the systemic neglect towards teachers working in some of the country's most challenging environments.

KETHAWA contends that the policy shift threatens the welfare and morale of teachers who have long endured insecurity, poor infrastructure, and social isolation in the line of duty. According to the association’s National Secretary, Wangonya Wangenye, the teachers in remote regions were sidelined during key negotiations.

“Instead of cutting the allowance, we were hoping the government would increase it and peg it at 40 per cent of a teacher’s basic salary. The current rates are outdated and fail to reflect the real cost of working in hardship areas,” Wangenye said.

The move to revise the hardship allowance comes after Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi presented a proposal in Parliament, explaining that the reclassification of hardship areas was necessary due to improvements in infrastructure, social services, and economic conditions in areas that were previously designated as hardship zones.

“I wish to inform the House that the implementation of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee report will reduce the financial implication for payment of hardship allowances from Sh25 billion to Sh19 billion per annum, making a saving of Sh6 billion for the government,” Mudavadi told MPs.

The report, completed in 2019, has been pending for years. It reviewed how hardship areas are identified and how the allowance is distributed to government workers across various sectors. According to Mudavadi, the review found that some areas listed as hardship zones no longer meet the standards due to improvements brought about by the 2013 shift to a devolved system of governance.

Mudavadi noted that these areas have experienced significant social and economic growth, including better access to water, health, transport, and education services. The findings were handed over to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), which will set the new rates.

The reclassification, set to take effect in July, will see hardship areas split into two tiers—Extreme and Moderate—with several previously recognised zones excluded entirely. Teachers in areas, such as Tinderet, Soin, Bunyala, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Tharaka Nithi now face the prospect of losing the hardship allowances that have long cushioned them from the challenges of working in remote and under-resourced environments.

Hardship allowances currently range from Sh6,600 for teachers in Grade B5 to Sh38,100 for those in Grade D5, depending on their job group. The civil service categorises hardship areas based on former district boundaries, while the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) uses educational zones.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has also strongly criticised the government’s actions. Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima stated that the new policy still falls short of adequately compensating teachers for working in high-risk, under-resourced regions.

“We shall not sit back as discrimination, dating back many years, is perpetuated against our members. Any future review of hardship areas must involve consultation with teachers’ unions,” Nthurima said.

Teachers argue that despite improvements brought about by devolution, many regions remain plagued by insecurity, poor infrastructure, a lack of basic services, and environmental hazards—factors that still justify hardship compensation.

The TSC currently recognises 44 hardship areas, compared to just 16 listed by the civil service and 21 by the judiciary. The lack of a unified framework has long caused confusion and disparity across various sectors. Mudavadi explained that the new system would harmonise the criteria and eliminate overlaps caused by the differing categorisation methods used by the TSC, the civil service, and other government entities.

Under the new classification, the “Extreme” category includes regions, such as Mandera, Garissa, Turkana, Wajir, Tana River, Marsabit, West Pokot, Isiolo, and parts of Baringo and Lamu. The “Moderate” category, includes areas, such as Narok, Samburu, Suba, Kitui, Makueni, Kajiado, Kilifi, Laikipia, Nyandarua, and Kisumu’s Nyando and Nyakach constituencies.

In Parliament, MPs have expressed outrage over the lack of transparency and equity in the process.