Homa Bay County Teachers Threaten Strike Over Salary Cuts, Issue Demands
Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in Homa Bay county have threatened to strike following a cut in their monthly salaries by the county government.
The teachers believe that the salary cut was implemented after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) gave directives to the Council of Governors (CoG) on the grading and salary structure of the ECDE teachers.
The teachers in Homa Bay County demanded that they be paid their arrears that have accumulated since July 2022 and also be confirmed as pensionable and permanently employed teachers.
The Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Chairman Lawrence Otunga faulted the county government under the leadership of Gladys Wanga for implementing the alleged directives without a proper laid out agreement with the teachers.
The alleged circular dated January 13, 2023, claims that the SRC issued directives to the CoG to implement the new grading and salary structure which proposes a pay cut of between Ksh7,383 and Ksh10,803.
According to the proposed structures, ECDE teachers at the certificate level will earn between Ksh7,836 and Ksh11,467 for the job group between F and I.
For those with diploma certificates, their salaries will now be between Ksh11,467 and Ksh19,9094 down from Ksh22,270 and Ksh27,700 for job groups between H and J.
However, last week, the SRC dismissed a circular circulating purporting to issue new salaries to ECDE teachers. Speaking before the Senate Education Committee, SRC Chair Lynne Mengich termed the circular as misleading and erroneous.
Kericho governor Erick Mutai informed the committee that counties have employed approximately 43,874 ECDE teachers and dismissed the claims that counties would reduce the salaries of ECDE teachers.
The committee chair, Joe Nyutu, said his team invited Mengich and Mutai to clarify the matter as it had raised tension among ECDE teachers. Nyutu added that his committee is also fighting to ensure all ECDE teachers are employed on a permanent and pensionable basis.
In the meantime, the teachers in Homa Bay County have threatened to strike if the county government does not revert the action they have taken of slashing their salaries within seven days.
The chairman of the Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education has also demanded that the county government ensures that ECDE teachers are employed on a permanent and pensionable basis and avoid the current trend where some are employed on contract while some are on a permanent basis.
Homa Bay County Teachers Threaten Strike Over Salary Cuts, Issue Demands
