Kenya’s lawmakers are pressing the Ministry of Education to correct persistent disparities in teacher hardship allowances, warning that uneven incentives are discouraging postings to rural and underserved areas.
MPs contend that current policies disproportionately favour certain regions, leaving teachers in less developed areas without sufficient financial support, which in turn affects retention and the quality of education.
In a formal submission, the legislators urged the ministry to reassess the criteria for hardship allowances and ensure teachers serving in demanding regions are adequately compensated.
“The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Teachers Service Commission, addresses staffing gaps by accelerating recruitment, rationalisation, and deployment of teachers, while reviewing hardship allowance policies to reduce inequities and staff attrition in disadvantaged regions,” MPs emphasised.
The lawmakers also highlighted the need to redistribute infrastructure investments fairly, stressing access to classrooms, laboratories, and diverse pathways for students in rural schools, particularly at the C4 level.
To ensure accountability, the Parliamentary Committee on Education will monitor the implementation of these proposals. “The Departmental Committee on Education undertakes continuous oversight of the implementation of these resolutions and obtains periodic progress reports from the Ministry of Education on financing, infrastructure, staffing, enforcement, and equity outcomes,” the MPs added.
Concerns over uneven hardship allowances were first raised last year by Nyando MP Jared Okelo, who noted that several constituencies facing challenging conditions were excluded from the government’s hardship classifications.
Okelo argued that inadequate infrastructure in these regions makes teaching difficult, yet teachers there are not recognised for hardship incentives. “Such omissions disenfranchise these regions, as teachers prefer postings where hardship allowances are paid,” he explained.
During parliamentary discussions, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that the government had reviewed hardship classifications and proposed changes expected to save Sh6 billion annually. “I wish to inform the House that the implementation of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee report will reduce the financial implication for payment of hardship allowance from Sh25 billion to Sh19 billion per annum, thereby making a saving of Sh6 billion to the government. This is as a result of the proposed harmonisation of the designated hardship areas in the public service,” he stated.
The Inter-Agency Technical Committee conducted consultations with stakeholders to examine the classification of hardship areas and the payment of allowances across the public service. However, implementation of the recommendations stalled following opposition from teachers, public servants, and political leaders. Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku explained in July last year that the report would be reassessed with input from all stakeholders.
“We have decided to hold on to the report for now. We need to re-evaluate the report together with the stakeholders and elected leaders before its implementation,” Ruku said, noting the decision was made jointly with the Ministry of Education.
Currently, the Civil Service, county governments, and state corporations have 16 designated hardship areas, while the teaching service has 44, and the Judiciary has 21. MPs maintain that the classification system is outdated, biased, and needs review to reflect present realities.
Hardship areas are identified as locations with limited social services, poor infrastructure, difficult terrain, insecurity, and high poverty levels. The allowance, introduced in 1969, is intended to motivate public officers to serve in these challenging regions.
Article 41 of the Constitution guarantees fair labour practices, including reasonable pay and safe working conditions. Section 10 of the Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual also outlines entitlement to hardship allowances for officers stationed in designated areas.
