Ministry of Education Disagrees with SRC on ECDE Teacher Salaries
The controversy surrounding the salaries of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers in Kenya continues, with the Ministry of Education calling for better pay for the teachers.
The ministry has expressed disagreement with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s (SRC) proposal to reduce the salaries of ECDE teachers.
The Permanent Secretary for Basic Education, Dr. Belio Kipsang, emphasized the critical role that ECDE teachers play at the pre-primary level, and stated that quality ECDE education had reduced the cost of education by 15%.
During an address to a Senate committee, he asked the committee to negotiate with the SRC for better pay for ECDE teachers.
Kipsang also highlighted the need for a harmonized salary scheme for ECDE teachers across all counties to eliminate disparities in the salary scale for ECDE teachers, some of whom are on permanent terms while others are on contract basis.
He further challenged the committee to ensure more teachers were employed and paid well to address the current shortage and boost morale.
The chair of the Senate committee, Joseph Nyutu, criticized the SRC’s proposal to reduce the salaries of ECDE teachers, terming it an insult and saying they would reject it. Nyutu expressed support for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), despite the emerging teething problems, stating that the system had the capability of addressing the issue of unemployment in the country by targeting learners’ talents.
The new grading and salary structure proposed by the SRC will affect all job groups of salary range from Sh7,383 to Sh10,803. The structure, which has already been sent to governors for implementation, proposes a reduction in the salaries of teachers in Job Group F from the current Sh16,890 to Sh7,836.
Those in Job Group H face a 54% pay cut, with their salaries being reduced from the current Sh18,270 to Sh8,804. The Senate committee has rejected the SRC’s proposal to reduce the salaries of ECDE teachers and expressed support for the Competency-Based Curriculum.
The proposed salary cuts by the SRC will affect all job groups, with teachers in Job Group H facing the most significant reduction in their salaries.
Ministry of Education Disagrees with SRC on ECDE Teacher Salaries
