TSC to Pay ECDE Teachers Starting 2024, ECDE to employ Them
Early Childhood and Development Education (ECDE) instructors will now be employed by county governments, and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will be responsible for paying their salary and benefits.
Each nursery school student will also receive Sh1,170 from the government each year if it is included in the final report and approved by the stakeholders.
This comes after a suggestion from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), which made several changes to the educational system and later offered them for approval to President William Ruto.
According to the education taskforce, counties will only hire ECDE teachers, but starting in January 2024, TSC will be required to pay them.
The Counties will receive one budget from the National Treasury to hire the teachers, while the TSC would receive another budget to pay their salaries.
The job group C1 for ECDE teachers with a diploma, and the job group B5 for those with a certificate.
Those with a diploma can expect to make a base income of between Sh 27,195 and Sh 33,994 per month.
They will be eligible for a housing allowance of Sh. 4,200 (for individuals in other regions), a commuter allowance of Sh. 4,000, and an annual leave payment of Sh. 4,000.
A hardship stipend of sh. 8,200 will also be provided to those who live in difficult areas.
Teachers in the ECDE programme who hold certifications can expect to get a base wage of between Sh. 21,756 and Sh. 27,195 per month.
Additionally, they will receive a leave allowance of sh. 4,000, sh. 4,000 in commuter allowance, and sh. 3,200 as house allowance (for those in other regions).
A hardship stipend of sh. 6,600 will also be provided to those who live in difficult areas.
Teachers who earn an ECDE certificate or diploma will also be covered by a complete medical plan, allowing them to access high-quality healthcare at any authorised medical facility nationwide.
Only a few county governments currently employ ECDE teachers on a permanent basis with pension benefits.
Many have used them as “carers” while paying them poorly on a contract basis.
TSC to Pay ECDE Teachers Starting 2024, ECDE to employ Them
Although the Council of Governors had advocated hiring ECDE teachers on a permanent basis and paying those with certificates, diplomas, and degrees sh24387, sh34395 per, and sh46,494 per graduate, this is not taking place in the majority of counties.
The instructors are being taken advantage of by the counties who pay them inconsistently poor wages.
After the first attempt was unsuccessful due to opposition from the Labour and Relations Court, this will be the second attempt to transfer ECDE teacher employment to TSC.
The constitution requires TSC to register qualified teachers, hire those already registered, and assign them to work in any public institution or school.
Pre-primary and vocational education are listed as County Government activities in Schedule 4 of the constitution.
Pre-primary education and childcare facilities must be supervised by county governments, including the hiring of teachers.
However, the majority of ECDE teachers want to be removed from the county payroll because they believe it to be unfair and unpredictable.
Once the idea is approved, the team suggested altering the TSC’s management of the ECDE teachers.
