ECDE TEACHERS TO SET UP NATIONAL OFFICES IN NAIROBI; TEACHERS NEWS
ECDE teachers have so far contributed over Kshs 50, 000 to set up a national office in Nairobi. Led by their national chair Lawrence Otunga, the teachers now have an umbrella dubbed Trained Early Teachers Association, TETA whose main role will be to coordinate activities of the union.
The union draws teachers from all over the country and comes in handy at a time when teachers are pushing for the implementation of Schemes of Service, SOS for ECDE teachers.
Schemes of Service for ECDE teachers
ECDE teachers have routing for their inclusion in teachers’ schemes of service. In case they are included, the SOS will improve their remuneration and working terms. Last week, the senate skipped the much-awaited motion on the ECDE bill which would have provided clear guidelines on how ECDE teachers would be employed.
The employment of ECDE teachers is a thorn in the flesh having been contested in court last year. The heated up arguments about who should employ them swathe courts retain them under the county governments.
Most ECDE teachers want to be placed under the Teachers Service Commission, TSC just like their counterparts in primary and secondary schools.
Poor remuneration
For decades now, ECDE teachers have been subjected to meager pay and poor working conditions by the County governments. A quick check by our media team reveals that there are huge disparities in terms of the monthly pay of ECDE teachers across the counties.
In fact, some counties are paying teachers illegally, without supportive documents like payslips.
However, some counties have done a good job of implementing the highly sought after schemes of service for the teachers. In Tana River, Kwale and Tharaka Nithi counties for instance, there are systems put in place to ensure that the ECDE teachers get paid according to the existing schemes of service and academic qualifications.
Demonstrations
Last year, the aggrieved teachers took to the streets of Nairobi to air their grievances including poor pay and working conditions.
This culminated in a petition to the senate, national house, and the ministry of education to look into the issues affecting them.
Although they were placed under counties last year, there is still some glimmer of hope since the bill may be debated any time now at the senate.
On Tuesday, the Machakos County MCAs asked for a review of all ECDE teachers’ salaries to reflect the minimum amount recommended by the Government.