ECDE Teachers Overworked and Underpaid, says KUNOPPET Chair
The chair of the Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET), Lawrence Otunga, has expressed concern over the challenging working conditions and inadequate compensation for young teachers.
Otunga, addressing the issue on Tuesday, criticized the management of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) in numerous counties, describing it as subpar.
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Emphasizing the plight of teachers handling young learners, Otunga asserted, “Teachers who are handling the young learners are undermined, underpaid and overworked.”
He voiced support for a task force report recommending the transfer of ECDE teachers to the national government, citing the perceived inefficiencies in county-level management.
Otunga also condemned county administrations for their resistance to proposed reforms in ECDE management. This development follows the Council of Governors’ (COG) rejection of recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, advocating for the transfer of ECDE management from the county to the national level.
The COG, led by Eric Mutai, Chairperson of the Education Committee, stated that the recommendations were seen as undermining the constitutional structure and framework.
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Mutai declared, “The COG categorically does not agree and rejects the recommendations in entirety to the extent that they undermine the basic structure and framework of the constitution.”
In response to the COG’s stance, Otunga, in a press release on Sunday, criticized the governors, stating, “COG is not legally a group of employers; therefore, they should keep off matters concerning education and leave it to experts. Their interests should not conflict with the public interests.”
Meanwhile, the Kenya Union of Teachers (Knut) also disapproved of the Council’s opposition to embracing changes. They urged county chiefs to prioritize the interests of children and focus on the positive aspects of the proposed reforms.
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ECDE Teachers Overworked and Underpaid, says KUNOPPET Chair
