9,045 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in the Elgeyo Marakwet County will each get a pay increment of Ksh4,000 from January next year.
County Executive Committee Member for Education Edwin Kibor said the first cohort employed in 2014 will see their salary rise from Ksh18,000 to Ksh22,000, while the second and third lot will earn Ksh20,000 and Ksh16,000 up from Ksh16,000 and Ksh12,000, respectively.
Speaking during the launch of digital learning in Emsoo Ward, Kibor said once the teachers already in employment are confirmed, the county will hire others to address the shortage.
“Once the teachers who are employed are confirmed on Permanent and Pensionable terms, we will hire more to address the existing shortage. This will relieve parents of the burden of hiring teachers through the boards of management,” he noted.
According to him, the county was in the process of establishing a scheme of service for the teachers, which will see diploma holders enter the service at job group H with a starting salary of Ksh29,000.
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He stated that the county had started implementing the personalized digital learning project in 17 schools before being rolled out to the rest of the county.
The project, he said, had shown great benefits as pupils were eager to go to school to use the gadgets, thus solving the issue of absenteeism in schools, adding that it had a component of a scheme of work and lesson plan for teachers, thus enhancing learning.
He observed that to improve learning, the department will undertake the transfer of teachers but said they will be moved within the Wards.
Kibor acknowledged that there were schools which were yet to have ECDE classes, with others having poor toilets, saying they will prioritize the construction of the said facilities in accordance with the funds available.
Christine Kaino, an ECDE teacher, lauded the government for looking into the welfare of teachers, adding that digital learning would go a long way in ensuring that they lay the proper foundation for the young learners.
County Assembly Education Committee Chairman, who is also the Emsoo ward MCA, Christopher Cheboiboch, confirmed that the Assembly had set aside Ksh45 million, which was enough for the increment, but had to reduce the amount to ksh20 million.
“We are calling on our teachers to be patient as we address their salary issue. We assure them that we will prioritise the allocation in the coming financial year,” noted Cheboiboch.
By Kimutai Lang’at
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