Kisumu County Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o has upgraded the status of 665 Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers who were serving on contracts.
They are now employed on permanent and pensionable terms by the County Public Service Board in Kisumu and were issued with confirmatory letters of appointment.
The Governor highlighted measures the county government has undertaken to develop the education of the children learning in public ECDEs where a feeding program initiative has ensured every ECDE institution receives rice and oil to complement the efforts of the parents.
Additionally, construction of classrooms, toilets and water points to maintain high standards of hygiene within the schools as well as vaccinating against diseases, deworming and provision of vitamin A are being implemented.
“It is our responsibility to ensure quality education is accessible to our children through distribution of stationery and as such we have achieved this by supplying textbooks, exercise books, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, chairs and tables for our children’s use,” stated Nyong’o.
He explained that they have had workshops being conducted regularly to sensitize teachers in matters relating to professionalism and skills in readiness for implementation of Competency Based Curriculum in schools.
Further the county administration has doubled their salaries and in turn the teachers have proven reliable by being disciplined, and working hard.
“This engagement is a two-way traffic; you will be on probation for six months to ascertain your suitability to continue serving, advice for extension of probation or termination of the contract. We expect you to discharge your duties with a lot of professionalism and decorum never witnessed before,’ adduced Nyong’o.
Jackson Olewe, a new appointee of the permanent and pensionable ECDE teachers scheme from Kisumu West noted the change has brought into his life.
“While starting out as an ECDE teacher, I was paid depending on the amount collected from learners and most of the times it was less than Sh 5000 but since I was awarded a teaching contract by the county government of Kisumu, my salary has increased tremendously and in turn, performed my duties diligently to get to where I am today,’ said Olewe.
The governor concluded the celebrations by also awarding Mr. Geoffrey Onditi, a nursing graduate who hails from Kisumu, an appointment letter to start working at Nyangoma Health center after his plight to secure a job was aired by KTN News last year.
Onditi had resorted to do carpentry work in a Nairobi slum following his inability to find employment in his field of study despite his futile job search. He was invited for an interview for medical workers which was going on at that time and he performed exemplary and was given a awarded a nursing job.
