A P1 teacher working in Nairobi has shared his survival antics on a salary of Ksh15,000 monthly in the wake of the pandemic.
The teacher who calls himself John has been teaching at a famous private school in Nairobi’s Embakasi area told Mwanahabari.co.ke that life is grueling for most private school teachers working in the capital.
“Teachers working in private schools in Nairobi are not paid much money for their toil – especially since Covid-19 disrupted learning in the country,” John told Mwanahabari.co.ke.
“The salary often ranges between Ksh7,000 and Ksh15,000. A few schools – especially those in high-end neighborhoods pay up to Ksh20,000, but the chances are very few.”
Mwanahabari has established that most teachers in Nairobi earn between Ksh12,000 and Ksh15,000 – which is never enough to see one through the month if they are to live a decent life.
John said that he has had to be very frugal, surviving on a shoestring budget to survive the rigorous city life.
The common saying among people working in Nairobi is that ‘If you can survive in Nairobi, you can survive anywhere on the planet – and teachers in private schools (like John) are toiling and moiling in the capital as they wait on the wings for that day when they will land a job with Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC).
The only challenge is that thousands of trained P1 teachers have been sitting in the cold waiting for the TSC contract since 2009. That’s more than a decade.
John shared his survival tactics.
Single room rent
To survive – most teachers earning Ksh15,000 (especially those who have no spouses to support them) often choose to live in a single room where rent is in the neighborhood of Ksh3,000 and Ksh3,500. A decent one bedroom house in Nairobi’s Eastlands area costs between Ksh10,000 and 13,000 – which means no private school teacher can afford to live in a one bedroom house.
“I pay Ksh3,000 rent per month. It’s a dingy place in the heart of Nairobi’s Kayole estate. That means I am left with Ksh12,000,” says John.
Asked why he chose a single room in a dangerous slum – John said.
“It’s risky but very convenient for me. That’s what I can afford. It’s also very close to my work station, which means I can walk to school,” he says.
Food
Food is very expensive in Nairobi.
“I spend Ksh6,000 per month on food per month. That’s because my school does not provide us with breakfast and supper. At least they give us lunch; the same food pupils eat,” John says.
Electricity
According to John, electricity takes him back Ksh400 per month since he spends most of his hours in school.
Transport
“I don’t travel much save for weekends when I can rush to town or just meet up with friends. I spend Ksh1,000 per month on transport. The amount would be much higher if I was to commute to school every morning and evening,” John says.
Entertainment
This is one thing that keeps most private teachers sane and grounded most of the time because work at any private school in Nairobi is not a cakewalk.
School can be crashing with school proprietors, administrators, colleagues and nagging teachers breathing down your neck. So, many teachers like John like to spend part of their salary doing what is often called ‘Kurudishia mwili ahsante’.
John spends Ksh2,500 on entertainment.
“I try hard to keep it at Ksh2,500 per month. I like to just go out there and enjoy myself a little. It could be a drink; beer or just a nice meal,” John says.
Supporting my parents
John also sends Ksh1,500 home to his ailing mother. He sends an additional Ksh2,000 per month to cater for school fees for his nephew.
Funeral expenses
Like most people from Western parts of Kenya, John has been a religious contributor towards funeral expenses of his kith and kin who go to be with the Lord. Then there are friends and colleagues who occasionally – actually all the time – ask for financial help to build a village church, bury a relative, pay school fees for some orphan, or rent for a stranded colleague.
“In short it is never enough. I have had to take more money from a Shylock every month to help bridge the gap which attracts a 30 per cent interest. It is tough for teachers in Nairobi, especially men who have families to support,” said John.