Negotiations for the 2025–2029 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) hang in the balance upon the expiry of an ultimatum issued by the union last week.
The seven-day ultimatum ended on Tuesday, July 8, and union officials told Nation that the employer has not yet reached out with a counter-offer to their demands, raising tensions and fears of industrial action.
The previous CBA expired on June 30 2025, leaving teachers without a structured framework for a new pay deal, benefits, or career progression.
“We haven’t received a counter-offer yet, but talks are ongoing; there’s a breakthrough in sight. TSC said they’ll meet our counterparts (Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers) on July 20 2025, and we believe that’s when the counter-offer will be ready for all of us. When we met [last week], they said they’d call us back, but I told them, ‘Put it in writing we need proof,” said Knut secretary-general Collins Oyuu.
Knut issued the seven-day ultimatum on July 1 2025 for the TSC to present a counter-offer for the 2025–2029 CBA demands, following a failed negotiation meeting held on the same day.
Knut accused TSC of inviting them for talks but showed up unprepared, with no proposals on the table. It further accused the commission of not presenting a counter-offer, thereby frustrating the negotiation process and warned it will not accept anything less than what teachers have demanded.
“We are getting a breakthrough but if we don’t agree, we’ll register a dispute but we are far from registering a dispute. But we are not receiving or signing any non-monetary CBA this year. That is impossible,” Mr Oyuu said.
The Teachers Service Commission Acting CEO Eveleen Mitei.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Groip
Registration of a dispute with the Ministry of Labour is a crucial step before a union calls a strike involving its members.
“We had a productive and consultative meeting, which TSC has suggested a follow-up, and for the conclusion of the CBA that we agreed that we are meeting again on or before 20th of July because of consultation in government, and that meeting is supposed to review on all the issues that we had presented and our expectations are very high, “said Akello Misori, Kuppet secretary-general.
The union is pushing for a raft of improvements under the 2025–2029 CBA, aimed at improving both the financial welfare and professional growth of teachers.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary-General Akello Misori.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
It includes a 60 percent salary increase for the lowest-paid teachers, and about 50 percent for those in higher job groups, to address long-standing wage disparities and adjust for inflation.
Knut is demanding a 30 percent rise in allowances, including hardship, commuter, and house allowances, which they say have remained stagnant despite the rising cost of living and regional disparities in working conditions.
The union also wants the introduction of new benefits, such as risk allowances for science teachers, overtime compensation, and incentives for postgraduate qualifications to reward academic advancement and support specialisation.
Another major issue is the enhancement of teachers’ medical insurance cover, with calls for better health insurance and greater involvement of teachers in managing the medical scheme to ensure efficiency and accountability.
Lastly, Knut is pushing for clear promotion pathways, citing widespread frustration over stalled career growth, favouritism, and lack of transparency in teacher promotions.
“Teachers have suffered enough. We must be told the truth. We shall not entertain games and if the commission thought it would be business as usual, they are mistaken. The only item on the table must be the counter-offer. The entire teaching fraternity must understand this. Everyone else came prepared today. It felt like we were starting from scratch, yet we’ve waited for years,” said Mr Oyuu.
