Shocking details have emerged on how Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers employed by the Nyamira county Government have gone without pay since 1st January, 2018. The three hundred and fifty three ECDE teachers who were recruited and reported to duty on 1st January, 2018, are yet to receive a penny of their remuneration to date. “The county Assembly Sectoral Committee on Education and Youth Empowerment brought to my attention the saddening fact that three hundred and fifty three (353) ECDE teachers who were recruited and reported to duty on 1st January, 2018, were yet to receive a penny of their remuneration up to date”, Says the Nyamira County Government Speaker, the Hon. Moffat Teya, in a press statement released today.
“This is despite the fact that the County Service Board confirmed that the teachers were recruited procedurally and therefore deserve communserate benefits”. Adds Nyamoko. The speaker regrets that the teachers are parents, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters who have numerous financial responsibilities to shoulder.
In what is seen as a sign of hope to the teachers, the County Assembly has made deliberate efforts to resolve the issue and has come up with the following recommendations:
- That all outstanding arrears dating back to 1st January, 2018, for the ECDE teachers recruited under phase three be paid at once by 30th September, 2018. The county Executive to communicate on 1st October, 2018, to confirm this payment.
- That the County Public Service Board, having confirmed that the teachers were employed procedurally, to explain what happened to the budget meant for payment of these teachers for the stated period. Failure to do this, the Board should be disbanded.
- That no member of the County Executive Committee should receive September pay if the ECDE teachers have not been paid.
These new developments come after the Nurses working under the Nyamira County Government staged a protracted strike that paralyzed operations at the health facilities for many months. The County Government is said to be hit by a financial crunch as employees go for many months without pay.