Over 800 ECDE teachers to be absorbed into county's payroll
Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi. His government will now include over 800 ECDE teachers in its payroll
At least 803 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in Laikipia County will finally be included in the local government’s payroll.
This is after the County Public Service Board (CPSB) announced that it would start implementing a scheme of service and prepare new salaries and allowances for the teachers effective July 1.
The teachers, who have been receiving a Sh10,000 in monthly stipends, have been pushing for the adoption of the scheme of service that was drafted in January 2018.
In February last year, the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri ordered the county government to absorb the tutors on permanent and pensionable terms and their employment backdated to 2016.
The court also ordered that the teachers be refunded the difference between the Sh10,000 monthly stipend they have been receiving and their new salary to be determined by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
Through the Kenya Union of Pre Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET), the 428 tutors had sued the county government for the “unfair labour practice of subjecting them to unstructured contract service”.
They accused Governor Ndiritu Muriithi and his predecessor Joshua Irungu of paying them peanuts and thus subjecting them to perpetual economic hardships.
Governor Muriithi has promised to offer the teachers better payment terms.
“The County Public Service Board will start conducting suitability interviews on the current teachers and enroll them on permanent and pensionable terms starting July 1 this year,” he said at Thingithu Boys Secondary School in Nanyuki when he met ECDE teachers from across the county.
The governor revealed that his administration would pay a monthly salary of Sh61,000 to teachers who have degrees, Sh41,000 to those with diplomas and Sh36,000 ones with certificates.
He said his government made the decision after holding consultative meetings with the SRC.
“We have over the years wished to have our ECDE teachers earn a decent salary just like other public officers. Due to hard work and the willingness by residents of Laikipia to pay taxes, we have been able to get enough resources to include them in the payroll,” Mr Muriithi said.
The teachers will also receive house allowance.
“As a government, we do things procedurally and that is why we engaged all the ECDE teachers in the county to explain to them their new terms of employment,” the county boss added.
Ms Josephine Wanjugu, an ECDE teacher, said she had taught for 17 years without earning a decent salary.
“I have practiced as a teacher for 17 years without a permanent salary. We are happy because the governor has assured us of permanent and pensionable employment with better payment terms,” Ms Wanjugu said.
Retiring ECDE teachers have pleaded with the county government to offer them retirement packages.
Ms Jane Maina, another teacher, said that she is retiring and lamented that she would go home without any pension.
“I have already received my retirement letter and my fear is that I might go home with nothing despite having worked as an ECDE teacher for many years,” Ms Maina said.
Ms Esther Muthoni who has been an ECDE teacher for 30 years, said she is also about to retire and might also go home empty-handed due to lack of formal employment.
“I started handling nursery school children as a young girl more than 30 years ago. Our prayers are that as the county administration absorbs ECDE teachers, it should also consider retiring teachers and give them a good retirement package as an honour,” she said.
Between July 2021 and March this year, the Laikipia County Revenue Board collected Sh667.8 million despite reducing fees for SMEs from Sh2,500 to Sh1,000.
The county surpassed its previous year’s collection of Sh575.8 million by 16 percent.
The county government might have to allocate more resources in the 2022/23 financial year that begins on July 1 to help in implementing the new scheme of service.
