Counties

Governors want Sh4.3bn for pre-primary teachers

kahiga

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Governors are asking for grants of up to Sh4.3 billion annually from the exchequer to address teacher remuneration challenges in pre-primary schools.

Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers are currently employed and remunerated under different terms of service, with some receiving a stipend instead of a salary.

The county chiefs say the provision of annual capital grants of Sh2,292 per learner will enable them effectively engage teachers on the terms prescribed in the scheme of service.

“There are 1,916,690 learners in ECDE centres currently, which translates to an annual grant of Sh4.39 billion,” Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga who chairs the Council of Governors’ (CoG) education committee told the Senate.

The Senate is investigating reports that most counties pay their pre-primary school teachers below the gazetted government minimum wage.

The Regulation of Wages Order 2018 prescribes the basic minimum monthly wages inclusive of housing allowance for Nairobi and other cities at Sh13,572.

Former municipalities and town councils are expected to pay ECDE teachers a minimum monthly wage of Sh12,522 and Sh7,240 for all other locations.

Data from the CoG shows 42,457 ECDE teachers have been employed by county governments, 13,502 of who are on permanent and pensionable terms, while 28,955 are on three-year contracts.

Counties recruit ECDE teachers through the County Public Service Boards (CPSB) in line with the ECDE Teachers’ Scheme of Service launched in 2018.

Budgetary constraints have however made it difficult for the devolved units to pay the teachers efficiently amid the rising cost of living in an economy reeling from Covid pandemic induced shocks.

The devolved units are grappling with a Sh2.08 billion annual budget gap for the full implementation of the scheme of service for ECDE teachers.

Governors note the proposed grant will have nine key budget lines including learning resources, teacher guides, teaching and learning aids, stationery and staff maintenance.

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