Elgeyo Marakwet County Assembly has announced plans to allocate funds in the next financial year to confirm in employment Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers who have been serving on contract.
County Assembly Education Committee Chairperson, Christopher Cheboiboch, said the assembly would prioritise improving the terms of employment for ECDE teachers, noting that they play a critical role in shaping the foundation of children’s education.
Speaking during the commissioning of a new ECDE centre at Kaptum Primary School in Emsoo Ward, Cheboiboch said other allocations would be suspended to focus resources on addressing the welfare of teachers and improving the learning environment.
He noted that while the salary of ECDE teachers had recently been raised from Sh14,000 to Sh26,000 per month, it still falls short given their workload and the prevailing economic conditions.
The MCA, who represents Emsoo Ward, emphasised the urgent need to hire additional ECDE teachers to address the current shortage, which has worsened due to the increasing number of learners and new centres being constructed by the county government.
“Teachers are forced to handle large classes, which affects the quality of learning since young children require more individual attention,” Cheboiboch explained.
He further urged ward development committees and fellow MCAs to be vigilant in supervising the construction of ECDE and Vocational Training Centres to ensure that all facilities meet the required standards.
“Some contractors have been taking advantage of weak supervision to deliver substandard work, which should not be tolerated,” he said.
Cheboiboch cited the example of Kapkei Vocational Training Centre in his ward, where the contractor was compelled to redo parts of the work after intervention by the ward development committee. He called for blacklisting of contractors who consistently perform poorly.
The Headteacher of Kapkei Primary School thanked the county government for constructing the new ECDE centre, saying it will provide a more conducive learning environment for children.
“Before the construction of the new centre, learners were housed in an old building with a leaking roof, which made learning difficult, especially during the rainy season,” she said.
by Alice Wanjiru
