Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has unveiled a plan to increase salaries for nearly 1,000 teachers in order to improve their livelihood.
Speaking on Saturday, March 13, the governor noted that his government would raise the salaries of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers to match those of regular teachers so they live decent lives - and even get to own cars.
The governor further noted that ECDE teachers play a crucial role in moulding learners, and therefore needed to be treated well, like all the other teachers.
"My Government will increase their salaries to match other teachers. I want ECDE teachers to own cars like other teachers considering that they are doing a good job at the grassroots," stated Ojaamong.
Busia county employed 439 teachers on a permanent basis beginning February, 2020 with plans to increase the number to over 500.
The 439 instructors were firs hired in 2017 on a two-year contract that ended in December 2019. They would later be employed on permanent contracts, with another 559 employed on contract.
The Governor stated that the move to improve the status of ECDE teachers is aimed at stabilising early learning and setting a strong base for children's education.
Ojaamong began the process of empowering the sector on May 29, 2019, when he launched the distribution of ECDE instructional material across the county, saying his administration was dedicated to employing a sufficient number of ECDE educators.
The Council of Governors has been lobbying to have the national government take over the payment of ECDE teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
The ECDE subsector of education is guided by the ECDE Policy, which seeks to ensure children enrolled for the programme get education geared towards the development of their mental and physical capabilities.
The new development comes weeks after 428 teachers in Laikipia County recorded a rare win against the local government.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri ordered the county government to grant the teachers permanent and pensionable employment and noted that they deserved a salary increment.
The teachers had sued Laikipia County through their union, Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET) for 'unfair labour practice of subjecting them to unstructured contract service.'
