By Virginia Siebela
Teachers nationwide are condemning a government proposal to scrap hardship allowances in more than 129 sub-counties, saying the move would jeopardize both their finances and mental well-being.
Speaking in Machakos Town during the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) annual “10K Steps in Support of Teachers’ Mental Health” walk, National Coordinator Danstan Saboke urged authorities to drop the plan. Many teachers, he noted, have loans whose repayment depends on the allowance; losing it could push some into severe distress—or worse, suicide.
The allowances, worth up to Sh6 billion annually, support educators in arid and remote areas. A coalition of teachers from those regions has already gone to court to halt the cuts.
Machakos County Education CECM Dr. Consolata Mutisya warned that the growing habit of turning to online searches rather than in-person support for mental-health struggles is compounding the problem. To counter that, she announced plans for a county wellness centre where teachers can receive professional counselling in a safe, supportive environment.
Saboke said one in ten teachers is battling mental stress and called for structured government programs to help educators cope. Other stakeholders agreed, stressing that financial insecurity remains a major driver of teachers’ mental-health challenges.
