More than 200 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers from Nyamira County, have asked Governor Amos Nyaribo to reinstate their contracts after they were terminated.
Speaking at Uhuru Gardens they said that they were among early teachers who were employed during Phase One and Two in 2016 and 2017.
In 2022, when the county government employed 400 teachers and confirmed them into PnP terms, they were left out on grounds of attaining 45 and above years, which is the highest age limit for anyone to be employed in the civil service in the country.
They argued that after completion of their college course, they stayed at home for a long time without employment and the government should have considered this to give them permanent employment instead of laying them off and replacing them with new recruits.
“It disheartens going to school and trained in a profession for that long but only to be denied the only rare opportunity available to serve the public and earn a living,” said Alice Mokeira.
The teachers who had carried their certificates, appealed to Governor Amos Nyaribo to reverse his decision of laying them off and reinstate them into employment to enable them fend for their families.
They said that they are ready to serve in any capacity even in contract terms on condition that they are serving somewhere in order to put food on the table.
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Teachers took the opportunity to narrate their ordeals. “We are viewed as village beggars as some people go about speculating that we were dismissed from duty. Here are our certificates please we are not failures,” said Jeremiah Onsare.
Mary Rachael, single mother, narrated how she has been going from door to door to wash clothes for her neighbours in order to pay for her daughter’s school fees and meet other family needs.
Zachariah Nyariki, 46, caused laughter when he said he resolved to work for a local lumberjack who gives him lunch in addition to KSh50 daily.
“I have become an expert in timber business which I started as a desperate person but now I have settled although it is not my desire to forgo my teaching profession.
They appealed to MCAs to join hands under the leadership of the new Assembly Speaker Thaddeus Nyabaro to convince the governor and give attention to their prayers.
Elsewhere, the governor hosted the public at his Magwagwa rural home.
During the meeting on Monday, Nyaribo distributed food stuffs and blankets to the Nyamira residents to wish them good luck as they usher in the new year. “I wish you happy new year of unity and prosperity.”
The governor said that his government is committed towards the betterment of basic education because it forms the foundation of all levels of education.
The governor highlighted his government’s achievement in the ECDE sector singling out the construction of 98 modern classrooms spread across all 20 wards in Nyamira.
By Enock Okong’o
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