Teachers will now enjoy three months paid maternity leave, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has said.

In a letter dated April 14 to all education officials, the TSC Secretary, Mr Gabriel Lengoiboni, said maternity leave that fell within the school holiday period will be excluded while computing the leave.

Said Lengoiboni: "The provisions of Regulation 55 in the Code of Regulation for teachers, which provides for female teachers to be absent from duty on account of confinement for a maximum period of 60 working days, will no longer apply."

This follows the repeal of the Employment Act last year, which declared and defined the fundamental rights of an employee as well as the basic condition of employment.

The changes in leave policy were made with effect from January 1.

Male teachers are also entitled to paternity leave of a maximum of 10 working days during the period of a spouse's maternity leave.

But Lengoiboni said in the case of a male teacher with more than one wife, he would be entitled to paternity leave only in respect of the wife registered in the National Hospital Insurance Fund contributors' card.

"Such leave shall not be taken more than once a year. Further, to enjoy such leave, the male officer will be required to produce a doctor's certificate confirming the maternity status of his wife," the Secretary's letter says.

Both paternity and maternity leave should be applied for through the head teacher and submitted to the Disrtict Education Officers for approval by the District Human Resource officer, the letter noted.

The circular was directed to all Provincial Directors of Education, DEOs, Directors of city education, Nairobi, principals, National Polytechnics and principals, diploma teachers colleges.

Others were principals of primary teachers' colleges, principals of institutes of science and technology, all heads of public secondary schools, the Director of Kenya Institute of Education and the Director Kenya Institute of Special Education.