Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in Migori County have rubbished reports circulating online alleging that they earn as little as Sh4,000 per month.
Instead, the permanently employed teachers by the County Government, confirmed earning between Sh28,000 and Sh37,000, depending on their academic qualifications.
The teachers were reacting to a flurry of social media posts circulating in the recent days, showing how the ECDE teachers are being underpaid by the devolve government to as low as Sh4,000 per month.
Their beef with the perpetrators of the reports followed the recent appearance of Governor Dr. Ochilo Ayacko before the Senate, Education Committee where the governor was hard pressed to state why the ECDE teachers’ in the County were getting low salaries.
During the meeting Dr. Ayacko admitted that non-permanent ECDE teachers earned a maximum allowance of up to Sh4,000 and clarified that they were ready to boost the allowance upwards if the allocation from the National government were increased.
The governor added that permanent ECDE teachers in the County were remunerated well and would also earn salary increases if parliament improved the allocation from the national cake.
And at a presser in Migori town, some of the permanently employed ECDE teachers led by Huldah Ogutu from Ngege ECDE centre, confirmed of earning a modest salary.
Displaying their payslips, they said they earn between Sh28,000 and Sh32,000 depending on their academic qualifications.
“I am a permanently employed teacher, I don’t earn Sh4000 as being displayed in the social media,” said Huldah, asking those spreading such rumours to stop politicizing the whole issue.
She said the claims circulating on social media are misleading and do not reflect the actual salaries paid to ECDE teachers employed by the county government.
She further noted that the county government has consistently paid teachers on time and that there are currently no salary arrears.
Another ECDE teacher Nixon Ouma from God Jope in Kwa Ward, explained that the S.4,000 salary applies to Board of Management (BOM) teachers who are temporarily engaged to bridge staffing gaps in ECDE centres.
“We are not paid Sh4,000. Those earning that amount are BOM teachers, not teachers employed through the Migori County Public Service Board,” he said, adding that contracted teachers receive a monthly salary starting from Sh28,000.
Migori County Chief Officer for Education, Roseline Aoko also dismissed the salary rumours, outlining the county’s remuneration structure for ECDE teachers based on academic qualifications.
According to Aoko, certificate holders earn a basic salary starting from Sh20,500 alongside a house allowance of Sh15,000 and a commuter allowance. Diploma and degree holders earn higher salaries ranging between Sh28,000 and 37,000, with commuter allowances of up to Sh4,000.
She noted that the county government recruits ECDE teachers through the Public Service Board and occasionally engages BOM teachers to help reduce the teacher shortage in learning institutions across the county, which are not paid by the county government.
At the same time, the official emphasized that the county government remains committed to improving the teacher-to-learner ratio to ensure quality early childhood education in Migori County.
Chacha Kaguri, the county director of education echoed the chief officer’s sentiments, stating that Migori County follows the structured salary remuneration strictly as recommended by the salary commission.
by Beryl Akinyi and Margaret Vanjelyn
