ECDE teachers in Homa Bay protest pay cut by county

Early Childhood Education Teachers in Homa Bay county have protested a move by the county government to allegedly slash their salaries.

The teachers have expressed their displeasure with Governor Gladys Wanga’s administration over the implementation of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) recommendations that proposed a reduction of salaries for ECDE teachers.

 While threatening to down tools, the teachers gave the administration seven days’ notice to rescind its decision to cut their monthly payments.

 Through their umbrella body, Kenya National Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (Kunnopet) the teachers want the decision reviewed and their original terms of employment reinstated.

 The Homa Bay county government is said to have reduced the salaries of its teachers following the SRC’s advice to the governor to do so.  Consequently, teachers in the county were shocked to receive January payslips indicating they had been paid less pay than usual.

 Some teachers are also reported to have had their employment terms changed from permanent and pensionable to contract basis. This means the affected teachers may lose out on their retirement benefits.

Expressed anger

 Most of them expressed anger with the move and threatened to paralyse learning in public schools next week.

 Kunoppet National Chairman Lawrence Otunga said the union was not consulted in the implementation of the changes.  Otunga argued that the salary reduction move is tantamount to a punishment of the teachers by their employer.  “Nobody is ready to listen to teachers when they are asking for what is rightfully theirs. They are always threatened while trying to assemble to present their grievances,” he said.

The previous administration led by former governor Cyprian Awiti reviewed the employment terms of the pre-primary education teachers before the last election. At least, 1,357 teachers were confirmed to permanent and pensionable terms.