Teachers’ body warns over looming mass transfers if hardship allowance is scrapped
Secretary General of the Kenya Teachers in Hardship and Arid Areas Welfare Association (KETHAWA), Ndung’u Wangenye, has raised serious concerns that scrapping the hardship allowance could trigger mass transfers within the education sector.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on June 5, 2025, Wangenye warned that an imminent transfer could happen if the issue is not addressed.
“If teachers are denied the hardship allowance, there will be mass transfers. Who will be left to teach the children?” Wangenye said.
His remarks underscore the looming crisis facing schools in Kenya’s hardship areas.
This follows remarks made by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, where he outlined the government’s plan to cut hardship allowances for civil servants as part of efforts to save Ksh6 billion annually.
Mudavadi emphasised the need for fiscal discipline to address the country’s budget challenges. However, teachers working in arid and remote areas have strongly opposed the proposal, warning of mass transfers, strikes, and potential legal action in response to the planned cuts.
The hardship allowance, he said, was introduced to compensate educators for working in remote, under-resourced, and often harsh environments. The proposed cuts have been met with fierce opposition from teachers’ unions and associations, who argue that eliminating this support will demoralize educators already working in challenging conditions.
He argued that the potential mass transfer of teachers would have a devastating impact on student education in hardship areas. If teachers leave en masse, schools in these regions could face severe staffing shortages, leading to disrupted learning and diminished educational quality.
Students in hardship areas already contend with poverty, limited resources, and cultural barriers, and losing experienced teachers would only worsen these challenges, increasing dropout rates and stalling long-term development.
The government has justified the proposed cuts as part of broader fiscal austerity measures aimed at reducing public expenditure. However, KETHAWA and other unions remain steadfast in their opposition, calling for dialogue to ensure that the welfare of teachers and the education of students are not compromised.
In addition to warning of mass transfers, teachers are preparing to escalate their response through protests and legal action if the government proceeds with the cuts, Wang’enye added. This standoff highlights the ongoing tension between budgetary constraints and the need to support critical sectors like education.
Implication
As the deadline for implementing the proposed cuts approaches, the education sector is on edge. The outcome of this dispute will have far-reaching implications for teachers and students in hardship areas. Stakeholders are calling for constructive dialogue to safeguard the future of Kenya’s youth and uphold the morale of educators working under the most trying conditions. How this matter is resolved will be a critical test of the government’s commitment to equitable education and the welfare of its teaching workforce.
