The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has renewed and enlisted new hardship areas in Kenya. In the process, TSC has reduced the total number of areas of hardship in the country from 38 to 18.
The new areas comprise mainly those regions where there is famine and terrorism. They include the following counties; Garissa, Isiolo, Kwale, Lamu, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana-River, Taita-Taveta, Turkana and West Pokot. Some other regions include some sub-counties in Homabay, Baringo, Kajiado, Kitui and Narok counties.
In addition to the basic salary and other allowances, teachers whose workstations are found in these ASAL areas are entitled to a hardship allowance. The lowest grade receives sh.6,600 and the highest grade receives sh 38,000 per month.
Some of the areas that have been excluded from the list by TSC hardship areas include all sub-counties in Nyandarua county and some others from Makueni, Kisumu, Busia, Mandi, Nakuru and Nandi.
Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) early this year said that the introduction of devolution in 2010 has implied that counties are no longer necessarily hardship areas. According to CRC counties receive equitable funds enough to address the issue of hardship in ASAL areas.
