TSC Urges Teachers to Register for NSSF Ahead of July 31 Deadline

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has called upon all teachers in Kenya who have not yet registered for the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to do so by July 31. The directive, signed by TSC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia, aims to ensure that all teachers are compliant with the NSSF Act No. 45 of 2013, which mandates social security benefits for workers.

The circular emphasizes the importance of this registration for facilitating the necessary deductions from teachers’ salaries and forwarding them to the NSSF. This process ensures that teachers receive their social security benefits, survivor benefits, and invalidity benefits as stipulated by the NSSF Act.

Directive to Regional and County Directors

The TSC has instructed its regional, county, and sub-county directors, along with directors of the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE), and all principals of Diploma Teacher Colleges and Primary Teacher Training Colleges, to advise all unregistered teachers to visit the nearest NSSF branch offices or Huduma Centre with their national ID cards for registration. The circular underscores the responsibility of these directors to enforce compliance with the Commission’s directive.

Compliance with NSSF Act No. 45 of 2013

“The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is a statutory body established under NSSF Act No. 45 of 2013. The Fund provides for workers’ social security benefits, survivor benefits, and invalidity benefits,” reads the circular. The TSC has already implemented payroll deductions for onward remittance to NSSF as of July 2023, applicable to all employees on the Commission’s payroll, irrespective of their registration status with NSSF.

Individual Responsibility of Teachers

The circular also highlights the individual responsibility of each teacher to ensure their registration with NSSF to have their monthly contributions credited to their individual NSSF accounts. This directive was also communicated to the Secretary Generals of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Teachers (KUSNET).

Addressing Non-Compliance

The circular comes shortly after the Commission revealed that more than 4,000 teachers are not properly registered with NSSF and risk missing out on their benefits if they do not enroll. The TSC urges these affected teachers to visit the nearest NSSF office for registration and forward their new numbers to their respective county directors. These documents will then be submitted to TSC headquarters for inclusion in the payroll.

Understanding Provident Funds

A provident fund is a retirement scheme where the government manages contributions made by workers, which are then given as a lump sum payment upon retirement. Unlike pension accounts run by employers, provident funds pay out all reserves at once. Withdrawals from provident funds are permitted under specific conditions such as resignation, retirement, termination, relocation, or medical incapacitation.

The TSC’s directive aims to ensure that all teachers are registered and compliant with the NSSF Act, thereby securing their future benefits. Teachers are encouraged to act promptly to meet the July 31 deadline and avoid any disruptions to their social security contributions.