KUNOPPET Teachers Slams Governors for Rejecting ECDE Reforms
The rejection of proposed Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) reforms by Governors has drawn criticism from the Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET).
KUNOPPET, in a statement on Sunday, declared its unwavering support for the recommendations put forth by the Presidential Working Party for Education Reforms (PWPER) in their December 2023 report.
Chairperson Lawrence Otunga emphasized that the County government should acknowledge the challenges faced by educators, stating, “We want CoG to know that we are the wearer of the shoe. We know where it pinches most. They are not aware if our sufferings. We declare our support for that report.”
Expressing concern over the Governor’s rejection, Otunga asserted in a press address that the Council of Governors (CoG) is not legally authorized as employers. He suggested that matters pertaining to education should be entrusted to experts, avoiding conflicts with public interests.
The PWPER report, led by Prof. Raphael Munavu, proposed the transfer of ECDE management from the County government to the National government.
The Council of Governors opposed these recommendations, contending that they undermine the constitutional framework. The CoG affirmed their commitment to fulfilling their constitutional mandate, which originally placed ECDE functions under County government jurisdiction.
The Kenya Union of Teachers (KNUT) also criticized the Governors for resisting the proposed changes. KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu, in an interview with the Daily Nation, asserted that devolving ECDE was a mistake.
Oyuu urged the county chiefs to prioritize the interests of children and emphasized the need for the complete implementation of the reforms proposed by the Prof. Munavu-led taskforce.
KUNOPPET Teachers Slams Governors for Rejecting ECDE Reforms
