The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has recalled the April payroll after a court granted a stay order on the suspension of monthly deductions for the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA). As a result, teachers salary delays are expected while the Commission adjusts the payroll to comply with the court directions. TSC says the recall affects deductions and will require updates before payments resume.
Key Takeaways
- Teachers salary delays are caused by a court-ordered stay that forces TSC to continue KEWOTA deductions and remittances.
- More than 100,000 female teachers face ongoing monthly deductions of Ksh 200, totaling roughly Ksh 30 million per month.
- Several groups may miss April pay, including interns, replacements and promoted teachers who were not fully captured in the payroll.
- TSC received a Ksh 24.2 billion allocation in the supplementary budget to cover salary shortfalls and SHA contributions.
What happened: court order and payroll recall
On 18 April, the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi granted KEWOTA a stay order that temporarily blocks TSC’s decision to suspend the association’s check-off deductions. The court ruling requires TSC to continue deducting Ksh 200 from members pending further directions.
Because TSC had already closed the April payroll and was preparing early salary payments, the Commission recalled the payroll to implement the court directive. Teachers should therefore expect a short delay while payroll corrections are made.
Who is affected by the TSC payroll recall
- Female teachers subscribed to KEWOTA (deduction Ksh 200 monthly).
- Junior school interns and some replacement teachers employed in January who have not yet been fully entered into the payroll.
- Teachers promoted and posted in January under the Career Progression Guidelines who are still awaiting salary adjustments.
The Commission confirmed that a significant number of newly employed and promoted teachers may miss April pay while the payroll is updated.
Numbers and status of new recruits and promotions
TSC recruited and deployed new teachers in January to fill shortages:
- Approximately 24,000 junior school intern teachers on one-year internship contracts (1 Jan – 31 Dec, 2026).
- About 9,159 replacement teachers employed on permanent and pensionable terms to replace exits from 2025.
- The Commission also approved the promotion and reposting of 21,383 teachers.
Some interns have not received any pay since reporting, while others have only received partial payments (for March) with January and February arrears outstanding.
Pay scales, allowances and benefits (brief)
The payroll recall does not change approved salary scales and benefits for replacement and promoted teachers. Highlights include:
- P1 (Grade B5 / Primary Teacher II): basic salary Ksh 25,028 to Ksh 31,615; commuter and house allowances apply.
- Graduate teacher (Job Group C2 / Secondary Teacher II): basic salary Ksh 39,070 to Ksh 49,100; higher commuter and house allowances for city posts.
- Interns receive a stipend of Ksh 20,000 gross (about Ksh 18,000 net after statutory deductions).
- Teachers receive Social Health Authority (SHA) cover via monthly medical allowances and are eligible for annual leave allowance and other statutory leaves.
Promotion to the next job group is automatic after specified service periods (commonly three years for many cadres). Interns currently serve probationary or fixed-term contracts while the Commission reviews their status following recent court rulings.
Budget support and legal context
The National Treasury allocated Ksh 24.2 billion in a supplementary appropriation to address salary shortfalls and SHA contributions. This followed the Supplementary Appropriations Bill, 2026, assented to by the President to align resources for urgent priorities.
Separately, a Court of Appeal decision has called into question the legality of the internship programme, prompting TSC to review intern contracts and explore conversion to permanent terms for some teachers.
What teachers should do now
- Check bank and SACCO accounts after TSC announces the corrected payroll. Expect updates within the following week as payroll changes are implemented.
- If you are a promoted, replacement, or intern teacher and have not been paid, compile your appointment letter and pay queries and follow up with your school payroll officer or the TSC payroll helpdesk.
- Confirm your correct bank or SACCO details and your posted station to avoid delays when the payroll is re-run.
- Monitor official TSC communications and court updates for timelines on deductions and payroll release.
Resources for classroom planning and professional support
While waiting for payroll corrections, teachers can use free teaching resources to plan lessons and prepare learners. Relevant resources include CBC curriculum designs and downloadable lesson material. Primary teachers can download PP2 schemes of work to structure term plans. Those preparing candidates may find practice papers useful, for example the KCPE practice exams.
Summary: teachers salary delays and what to expect
The immediate cause of the teachers salary delays is a court stay that requires TSC to restore KEWOTA deductions while the legal challenge continues. TSC has recalled the April payroll to make the necessary adjustments. Affected teachers—especially interns, recent replacements and promoted staff—should check payroll records, raise queries promptly, and use available teaching resources while awaiting payment updates.
