Teacher’s Welfare Association Rebukes Ruto’s 3 percent Mandatory Deduction

Teacher’s Welfare Association Rebukes Ruto’s 3 percent Mandatory Deduction

Teacher’s Welfare Association Rebukes Ruto’s 3 percent Mandatory Deduction. The teacher’s lobby group has rejected President Ruto’s announcement of a 3 percent mandatory salary deduction for all Civil Servants

for affordable housing, calling it unlawful.

In order to help Kenyans locate more affordable accommodation, the president announced that all civil officials will henceforth have 3% of their salaries withheld. He made this announcement while attending a church service at Friends Church (Quakers) in Donholm.

As much as teachers support the government, Wagonya Wangenye, national secretary of the Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association (KETHAWA), told our team that the president ought to rethink his stance on this issue.

“I humbly request the president to consider the government position now that the cost of living is very high and the inflation rate is skyrocketing,” said Wangenye.

The association has recently asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to sign a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with our unions in order to enhance salaries and allowances in order to counteract the high inflation rate. “The current salaries and allowances for all civil servants, teachers in hardship areas included, is barely enough to feed them,” he continued.

In order to facilitate negotiations, Wangenye has encouraged the president to put off discussing the subject of affordable housing in the nation until after the salaries of teachers and other public employees have been increased.

He further asked the President to make this effort voluntary for those who are willing and interested rather than making it necessary for everyone.

“The working circumstances for teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas (ASAL) are currently a source of concern. Welfare and any other pay slip deductions would have a detrimental effect on how well they perform services, making the situation worse than it already is, according to Wangenye.

The effort, according to the president, will help Kenyans who don’t currently have a place to live find a permanent residence at a reasonable price.