An umbrella of teachers under a tag TETA (Trained Early Years Teachers Association) led by there national chairman Mr Lawrence Otunga and treasurer Truphena Lubanga have raised an estimate of fifty thousand shillings which will be channelled towards setting up an ECDE national office in Nairobi. The office is expected to coordinate activities of the union which draws teachers across the country.
This comes at a time when the teachers are pushing for implementation of the Schemes of service for ECDE teachers that will improve there remuneration and working terms. Last week the Senate skipped the discussion on ECDE bill which would spell out on how the teachers would be employed. The employment of ECDE teachers was last year contested in court which decided the counties to retain them. The tug of war between TSC and the counties on who should be in-charge in employing the teachers did not go well with most teachers who wanted to be placed under Teachers Service Commission.
There has been outcry over poor employment terms by some counties. A cross check by Teachers Arena found that there is huge disparity on payment of ECDE teachers by counties. Whats shocking is some counties paying teachers without even suppotive documents like a payslip.
However some counties including Tana River, Kwale and Tharaka Nithi teachers have a reason to smile after the counties adopted a system to pay teachers based on existing schemes of service and academic qualifications.
On August 14 last year the teachers under there umbrella TETA took to the streets of Nairobi to demonstrate over unfairness and poor pay. They further took the petition to Senate, National Assembly and Ministry of education to lament on issues affecting their career.
However all is not lost as the ECDE bill now in the Senate and maybe debated anytime after a corrected mistype and maybe possible lasting solution to unending suffering of this category of teachers. Some few days ago the Bill was kept at bay and returned back over typos issues in Article thirty six clause one.
On Tuesday Machakos county assembly MCA recommended for a review of all ECDE teachers salaries to reflect to the recommended minimum amount by the national government.
“Machakos budget recommends for review of all ECDE teachers to reflect to the recommended minimum amount by the national government. I hope now our teachers will get an increment of upto one hundred per cent depending on the current remunaration starting this financial year. Iam happy to be part of the team”. Said MCA George King’ori of Muthwani ward in Mavoko.