The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has reviewed the list of sub counties that will be referred to as Hardship areas. Teachers who have been working in these areas have been receiving incentives (hardship allowances) to help sustain them in those places by compensating for lack of social amenities, infrastructure and a challenging environment.
TSC made an official announcement that will see teachers working in these areas have their Salaries reduced.
The announcement has come after TSC started off the process of mapping out and reviewing hardship regions in the country in September this year. The salary reduction of hardship allowance in areas where it has been scrapped off is expected to start on 1st July 2022.
ALSO READ: WHAT THE TSC LIST OF ADMINISTRATORS MEAN TO TEACHERS.
TSC officers had been dispatched to various sub counties to assess and collect data for centers to be excluded because of the development achieved in such areas over time and others to be included to enjoy the incentives because of the conditions which are likely to demotivate teachers from working in such areas.
Two months ago World Bank called for scrapping of hardship allowances paid to government employees to save kshs.3 billion as part of cost cutting measures to return the country on track after increased spending during coronavirus pandemic. Hence the Move by TSC.
“The review of hardship zones is needed as several regions have developed their infrastructure and social amenities over the last two decades and are no longer classified hardship areas,” read the World Bank report on Kenya Public Expenditure Review.
TSC has listed some counties as hardship areas but not all schools or Sub counties are captured as hardship centers.
Here is a full list of areas/counties listed as hardship areas by TSC
NO. COUNTY REGION
1. Turkana Rift Valley
2. Mandera County North Eastern
3. Wajir County North Eastern
4. Marsabit County North Eastern
5. Samburu County Rift Valley
6. West Pokot County Rift Valley
7. Tana River County Coast
8. Narok County Rift Valley
9. Kwale County Coast
10. Garissa County North Eastern
11. Kilifi County Coast
12. Taita Taveta County Coast
13. Isiolo County Eastern
14. Lamu County Coast
Here are the summarized monthly hardship allowances as per teacher’s job groups 2021/2024:
| Grade | TSC Scale | Former Job Group | Monthly Hardship Allowance (Kshs) | |
| 1 | B5 | 5 | G | 6,600 |
| 2 | C1 | 6 | H | 8,200 |
| 3 | C2 | 7 | I | 10,900 |
| 4 | C3 | 8 | J | 12,300 |
| 5 | C4 | 9 | K | 14,650 |
| 6 | C5 | 10 | L | 17,100 |
| 7 | D1 | 11 | M | 27,300 |
| 8 | D2 | 12 | N | 27,300 |
| 9 | D3 | 13 | P | 31,500 |
| 10 | D4 | 14 | Q | 31,500 |
| 11 | D5 | 15 | R | 38,100 |
