President William Ruto has said his administration will consider reducing the review period for teachers’ Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) from four years to two once the current agreement expires. Ruto made the commitment on Monday, October 5, 2026, during the national World Teachers’ Day celebrations at Kasarani in Nairobi, where teachers and education stakeholders gathered to mark the occasion. Teachers’ unions have been pushing for a shorter CBA cycle, arguing that a two-year review period would allow salaries and other employment conditions to be reviewed more frequently.
Ruto responds to teachers’ CBA request
The President said the government would revisit the proposed two-year cycle after completing the current 2025–2029 CBA, which was negotiated and signed under the existing four-year framework. Ruto acknowledged that teachers were already pressing for a change after two years of the current agreement. He likened the request to homework, saying he would take up the issue and return with an answer.
The current CBA provides for salary adjustments to be implemented in phases over its four-year duration, with the first phase taking effect in July 2025 and the second following in July 2026.
Government allocates funds for CBA implementation
Ruto said the government has set aside an additional KSh8.1 billion in the 2026/27 financial year to support implementation of the current agreement. The President also highlighted changes to teachers’ access to healthcare under the Social Health Authority (SHA). According to Ruto, teachers are now able to access inpatient services through thousands of health facilities under the new arrangement. He said that by September 2026, SHA coverage had extended to 415,608 teachers and 884,392 dependants.
Government promises faster payment of retirement benefits
The President also announced measures aimed at reducing the time teachers wait to receive their retirement benefits. He said the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the National Treasury began implementing the Pension Management Information System on July 1, 2026.
According to Ruto, teachers’ employment records are being uploaded into the system to facilitate faster processing of retirement claims. He said the government expects the system to eventually enable retired teachers to receive their benefits within 10 days of leaving service.
Ruto urges teachers to embrace dialogue
The President also called on teachers and their unions to continue using negotiations to address disagreements over pay and working conditions. He said industrial action should not be the first option where disputes can be resolved through dialogue between the government, TSC and teachers’ representatives.
The remarks come a year after Ruto hosted thousands of teachers at State House, where the issue of shortening the CBA review period was also raised. The latest commitment means teachers will have to wait until the current 2025–2029 agreement is completed before the government formally considers shifting to a two-year CBA cycle. Meanwhile, the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebrations at Kasarani also focused on recognising outstanding educators, with TSC honouring teachers for their contributions to the profession.
