Ruto pledges to address teachers’ hardship allowance
Ruto pledges to address teachers’ hardship allowance
President William Ruto has pledged to follow up on teachers’ request for a hardship allowance in the coastal region amid concerns over difficult working conditions in some areas.
Addressing residents of Taita Taveta on Saturday, September 26, Ruto said he had been informed that teachers in the region were seeking the allowance and promised to work with the relevant authorities to address the matter.
“I have been informed that the teachers of this region are requesting a hardship allowance. I will follow up on the issue and see the way forward on how we can handle the matter,” Ruto said.
“I will follow up on the issue because I have arrived here and seen that indeed there is a hardship in this region, and walking on such a hilly place is a very tough task,” he added.
Hardship areas are generally characterised by inadequate infrastructure, limited access to essential services, harsh climatic conditions, insecurity and poor access to social amenities.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) currently recognises 44 places as hardship areas, covering parts of counties including Kitui, Isiolo, Wajir, Lamu, Kajiado and Laikipia.
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Other counties considered hardship areas are Marakwet, Tharaka, Mbeere, Makueni, Marsabit, Garissa, Mandera, Tana River, Baringo, Samburu, Turkana and West Pokot.
President Ruto’s latest development comes weeks after TSC clarified the status of hardship allowances and hardship areas for teachers across the country.
In a May 2026 statement, TSC dismissed viral reports claiming it had introduced a new two-tier hardship allowance structure effective July 1, 2026, describing the documents as fake and misleading.
TSC also denied claims that it had revised secondary school subject combinations, stating that the existing 44 gazetted hardship areas and allowance arrangements remained unchanged at the time.
Meanwhile, the Head of State’s remarks came as he began a tour of the Coast region covering Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River and Lamu counties.
The tour is focused on assessing government projects while engaging residents and local leaders on development priorities across the region.
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