The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called for improved pay and better working conditions for the country's 400,000 teachers, including the provision of professional counselling services to help them cope with financial burdens and work-related stress.
The union wants the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to employ professional counsellors and deploy them at county and zonal levels to offer counselling services to teachers. The services should also be extended to learners across the country.
Despite the teaching workforce expanding by 100,000 over the past three years and the implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) that provide for better pay and improved working conditions, many teachers are still unable to make ends meet and continue to grapple with work- and family-related stress.
TSC has secured funding in the current budget allocations set to be tabled in Parliament by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to transition 20,000 teachers from internship to permanent and pensionable terms, a move expected to ease pressure arising from the wide teacher-pupil ratio gap.
KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu, Deputy Secretary-General Hezbon Otieno, and First National Vice-Chairman Malel Langat said the union would continue pushing for improved terms of service and a better working environment to address issues affecting teachers' mental well-being.
"It is unfortunate that the majority of teachers in the country are in financial distress and face mental health challenges, including suicidal ideation, which is affecting their well-being at the workplace, family level and within social circles," Mr Oyuu said.
Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Mr Langat said the situation had been worsened by the fact that teachers have no access to counselling services, further putting their lives at risk.
"There is a need to holistically address the financial, health and social challenges teachers face so that they can effectively impart knowledge to learners," Mr Otieno said.
A Teachers' Wellness and Engagement Survey (TWES) conducted by Knight Human Capital in collaboration with KNUT shows that teachers are unable to pay off their ballooning debts, lack access to financial management training and do not have access to professional counselling services.
The survey found that 88 percent of teachers in Kenya cannot pay off their debts, while 97 percent have no money left at the end of each month and are therefore unable to sustain their living standards, leaving them in vulnerable situations that affect their well-being.
"At least 12 percent of teachers are in high life-threatening risk categories, requiring immediate and targeted interventions, while 70 percent have no access to counselling services," the report states.
The report was unveiled during a function at Nairobi's Radisson Blu Hotel attended by education stakeholders.
The survey, conducted among teachers in comprehensive schools across the country, focused on work and organisational engagement, as well as mental, financial and physical wellness.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government would use the report's findings to take measures aimed at promoting teachers' welfare and enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in the education system.
"If the teacher is a crucial player in our education system, then the system will never thrive unless the teacher is thriving. Conversely, if the teacher is thriving financially, physically and mentally, then he or she will be fully engaged for the benefit of the learner," Mr Ogamba said.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba (left) and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chairman Dr Jamleck Kamau at Jogoo House, Nairobi, on May 29, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
The CS added: "The employment of 100,000 teachers has translated into rationalised workloads and teacher specialisation, thereby improving curriculum implementation and addressing some of the existing challenges such as burnout."
The report shows that financial wellness stood at 18 percent, with 92 percent of teachers vulnerable to unexpected expenses. The survey was conducted between October 2025 and April 2026.
Single teachers were found to be the most financially vulnerable, recording a wellness score of 13 percent, compared with 19 percent among married teachers. Teachers stationed in urban areas reported lower financial wellness than their counterparts in rural areas, largely due to the higher cost of living.
The report further reveals that teachers working in Nyanza, Central and Nairobi regions are the most financially strained.
The survey sampled 895 primary school teachers from 44 counties, representing 94 percent of the counties covered. This was more than double the minimum target sample size. Of the respondents, 56 percent were female and 44 percent male.
Two-thirds of the respondents were over 40 years old, 75 percent were married, 20 percent were single and five percent were divorced. Additionally, 93 percent of teachers reported having dependants, mainly children, accounting for 91 percent of dependants.
The overall mental health index stood at 41 percent, with high burnout levels. Six in ten teachers reported experiencing burnout within the past year, while 12 percent fell within the suicidal-risk category, requiring immediate and targeted interventions.
Daily stress was reported as a common feature in the lives of teachers in Kenya, yet 70 percent of them have no access to professional counselling services.
"Teachers aged 60 and above recorded the lowest mental wellness score of any group at 12 percent, pointing to severe distress linked to retirement anxieties and a lack of support," the report states.
It further notes that the Western region recorded the lowest mental wellness score at 29 percent, followed by Nyanza at 32 percent, indicating region-specific stressors and vulnerabilities.
The report also recorded a 49 percent score on the overall social and occupational wellness index, with seven out of ten teachers reporting that their teaching tools and working spaces were inadequate.
Only 51 percent of teachers said they felt safe in their school environments, while support systems were found to be sustained more by external personal networks than by workplaces.
At least 59 percent of teachers reported having a work-life balance, but this did not shield them from high stress levels, which stood at 44 percent, or burnout levels of 60 percent.
The report found that 67 percent of teachers were positively engaged in their workplaces, while the overall wellness index stood at a critically low 33 percent. Additionally, only 45 percent felt they had the necessary resources to perform their duties effectively.
The report states that 54 percent of teachers begin job hunting three years after being employed by TSC, a trend affecting teaching and learning in their respective institutions.
"At least 60 percent of teachers experienced burnout in the past year, while 12 percent reported recent suicidal ideation," the report states.
Social and occupational wellness stood at 49 percent, with divorced or separated teachers recording a critically low environmental wellness score of 30 percent, suggesting a lack of both institutional and robust personal support systems.
Teachers in urban counties reported higher wellness levels at 58 percent compared with 47 percent among those in rural counties, largely due to better infrastructure and resources in urban schools.
The Western region recorded the lowest score at 37 percent, while the North Eastern and Coastal regions recorded the highest scores at 62 percent and 55 percent respectively.
Newly employed teachers with less than one year of experience recorded a high wellness score of 72 percent. However, the index declined steadily with time due to prolonged exposure to systemic inadequacies that erode environmental well-being.
The report further reveals that teachers are inadequately prepared for retirement and face severe gaps in long-term financial planning.
Among its recommendations are the establishment of a free 24-hour toll-free tele-counselling line accessible to all teachers as an immediate intervention, and the introduction of Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) to address teacher health and well-being in a structured manner.
The report also recommends the launch of a structured peer mentorship programme pairing early-career teachers with their mid-career counterparts.
It further calls for career-stage financial literacy workshops covering budgeting and debt management for early-career teachers, savings and investment planning for mid-career teachers, and pension preparation for those within 10 years of retirement.
Mr Oyuu said neglecting mental wellness and engagement could result in lower productivity, strained relationships with students, professional colleagues and family members, and even lead to physical health complications.
"Emotionally healthy teachers cultivate strong relationships with students, directly boosting academic performance and classroom engagement."
Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation
He added: "Mental wellness directly dictates how a teacher thinks, feels and acts. It empowers teachers to effectively manage daily stress, build meaningful relationships and, more importantly, reach their full potential in both personal and professional settings."
"Maintaining psychological and emotional wellness provides several critical everyday benefits, including stress management, improved physical health, stronger relationships, enhanced productivity and focus, and greater life satisfaction," Mr Oyuu said.
Mr Langat said there was a need to support teachers in overcoming psychosocial challenges, encourage them to seek professional help where necessary, embrace healthy lifestyles and promote positive mental health.
Earlier surveys have shown that many teachers engage in gambling, leading to the sale of property and the taking of unplanned loans that adversely affect their earnings. Many of those affected have experienced broken families and increased absenteeism from the workplace.
