Senators push for more benefits for ECDE teachers.
Should governors carry out a Senate decision, early childhood development education instructors may soon benefit from increased benefits.
This is even as the Council of Governors considers funding ECDE centers with capitation, much like it does for elementary, secondary, and vocational education levels.
Chairman of the CoG Education Committee Kahiga Mutahi stated, “If the capitation is provided, this would enable more ECDE teachers to be employed on permanent and pensionable terms.”
In a report to the Senate, Mutahi also mentioned that classroom administration, infrastructure, school food programs, and instructional materials will all be covered by capitation.
He claimed that these eat up the majority of the ECDE budget each fiscal year.
In what might be a windfall for the teachers, counties should implement the tutor’s program of services and offer additional funding.
A Senate Education Committee report that is presently awaiting House approval suggests that the National Treasury give the counties grants.
The committee says that in order to achieve minimum pay in accordance with SRC rules, “the counties should implement the ECDE teachers’ scheme of service and provide budgets for ECDE teacher’s salary increment.”
The delayed execution of the ECDE teachers’ plan of service has resulted in their infrequent and sluggish compensation, which has a negative impact on their morale.
The committee also instructed the Intergovernmental Technical Relations committee and the county public service boards to examine the job descriptions and responsibilities of the tutors.
“Within ninety days of the report’s tabling, the Council of Governors, the Teachers Service Commission, and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development should establish protocols, build a framework for collaboration on ECDE teachers’ management and capacity building, and design a program to introduce CBC to ECDE students and teachers.”
38 counties employ about 32,656 ECDE teachers, according to data from the CoG.
Just 2,407 of the total have permanent and pensionable terms, whilst 30, 249 are on contracts.
“The scheme of services has been fully implemented by five county governments, partially implemented by five, and not yet implemented by the remaining county governments.”
At the moment, the graduate teacher with the highest salary is paid Sh59,770 per month, while the lowest paid ECDE degree holder makes Sh9, 420.
According to the survey, “the majority of ECDE teachers receive monthly compensation ranging from Sh12,000 to Sh22,000 across all cadre.”
It is also necessary to provide a structure for governments to fund the ECDE sector through ring-fencing and conditional granting.
“The county assemblies should consider enhanced legislation aimed at increasing annual budgetary allocating to the ECDE sector at least 10 per cent of the county revenue and the county governments should provide sufficient resources to the ECDE sector.”
The TSC and the Ministry of Education should make it easier for its standards and quality assurance representatives to conduct thorough observations and inspections of the centers.
Senators push for more benefits for ECDE teachers.
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