Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang' pleaded with Senators to look into the pay of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers.
Speaking during a meeting with the Committee on Education on Monday, February 13, Kipsang asked the senators to defend the instructors from a planned downward revision of their pay.
He argued that the ECDE teachers played a key role in setting the foundation and thus ought to be properly remunerated.
"We are asking you to negotiate on behalf of the ECDE teachers of this country with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) so that they can be paid what they deserve," the PS stated.
He explained that the bulk of the work with learners, preparing and shaping them for the education journey, falls on the shoulders of the ECDE teachers.
Kipsang' reckoned that it was paramount for the country to invest in quality education at the entry-level by ensuring that the interests of instructors were catered for.
Citing findings of a study conducted on basic education, he stated that providing quality ECDE slashes the cost of primary learning by 15 per cent.
The PS cautioned county and national governments against the back and forth on who should be responsible for the welfare of the educators.
He pushed for both levels of government to harmonize one scheme of service for ECDE teachers across all 47 counties.
"If this is done, we shall not have disparities in the salary scale for the ECDE teachers. Where others are on permanent terms of service while the rest on contract basis," Kipsang' argued.
Reports emerged that SRC planned to slash the minimum pay for ECDE teachers in some counties from Ksh20,000 to Ksh7,836.
On February 7, the Commission denounced the reports, explaining that the revision would be an illegality since it was below the minimum wage of Ksh12,000.
