Retired teachers are still facing delays in accessing their pension benefits even as data from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) shows that thousands of claims have been processed.
Data from the commission shows that 16,088 teachers left service between the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 financial years. Of these, 12,864 pension claims have been processed, with 10,388 forwarded to the National Treasury for payment.
According to the commission, only 227 cases remain unresolved, largely due to missing documents, delayed submissions by retirees or beneficiaries, succession disputes and court orders halting payments.
“Only 227 claims of teachers who exited service on retirement with effect from 1st January 2019 and 1st July 2024 are still pending. This is largely attributed to either the retirees, or the beneficiaries having not submitted the requisite statutory supporting documents to enable the commission finalise the cases. Efforts to trace the said beneficiaries through their area chiefs have not yielded fruit,” said acting TSC CEO Evaleen Mitei when she made a presentation to Parliament on the status of implementation of various resolutions by the House.
Further she told the lawmakers that beyond administrative delays, retirees are also exposed to fraud, prompting Parliament to direct the commission to establish safeguards.
Retired teachers are still facing delays in accessing their pension benefits even as TSC data shows thousands of claims have been processed.
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However, Members of Parliament have raised concerns over what they describe as bureaucratic hurdles within the TSC that continue to delay access to pension funds for retired teachers and beneficiaries of deceased teachers.
"Teachers are suffering because of the bureaucracies within the commission when it comes to accessing pension funds. When a teacher dies, for instance, why does TSC write to the beneficiaries or kin of the deceased asking them to pay some money before the benefits are processed? Why can't you compute what is owed by the deceased, if any, then deduct it from the pension at processing?" posed Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu.
Lawmakers further took issue with requirements for retirees to produce their first payslip to initiate pension processing, with some terming the demand unrealistic, especially for teachers who have served for decades.
"For someone like me who has been in service since 1997, it is unrealistic to tell me to provide my first payslip. How do I even trace it? Why not go back to the teachers' files which are already in the commission's possession and access the pay slips instead of burdening them?" said Mr Wanjala.
In response, Ms Mitei defended the commission’s procedures, explaining that teachers exiting service—either through retirement or death—may have outstanding government liabilities that must be addressed.
She said the commission often engages beneficiaries in negotiations to secure consent for deductions from the pension, rather than insisting on upfront payments.
"We no longer ask for pay slips of the living retired teachers because we have their documents. However, when a teacher dies, we ask the beneficiaries for some documents because, in some instances, we cannot use what is provided because we have had cases where another family comes forward claiming that it is the rightful beneficiary," Mitei said.
Teachers Service Commission CEO Evaleen Mitei speaks to the media at the Ministry of Health offices in Nairobi on March 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
When a teacher approaches retirement (usually at 60 years), TSC issues a retirement notice in advance to allow time for preparation.
During this stage, the teacher is required to:
Submit personal and service documents (identity, bank details, service records) Confirm beneficiaries Clear any outstanding issues such as loans or tax obligations Fill in pension forms (including commutation options if applicable)
The head of the school where they are stationed and the TSC compile a pension file Documents are verified for accuracy (service history, salary records, deductions, etc.) The file is then forwarded for processing of pension
Missing documents Incorrect records Late submission from institutions
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
After verification, the TSC submits the pension claim to the National Treasury. It also publishes on its website two lists to about the progress:
Pension claims submitted to Treasury Claims forwarded for processing
These lists show the date of submission of each batch and confirmation that the claim has moved to Treasury for payment processing. However, this does not mean the money has been paid. Even after submission, delays may occur due to missing or inconsistent records, backlog at the Treasury, late submission from schools or counties or verification queries between TSC and the Treasury.
At the National Treasury, the files are entered into the pension management system, verification and computation is done and payment approval issued. At this stage, delays can be due to budget availability, verification workload or completeness of data.
Once approved, the lump sum benefits are paid first (gratuity or commuted pension) while the monthly pension payments follow afterward (for eligible retirees). The payment is wired directly to the retiree’s bank account.
