Senate Education committee backs teachers' demand for pay hike

The Senate has now thrown its weight behind the demand by teachers for salary and allowance increments, warning that failure to do so could affect thousands of students.

According to the Senate team on Education, teachers deserve better pay to motivate them and improve education standards.

Committee Chairman Daniel Karaba said he was optimistic that ongoing talks between the Government and teachers would yield results.

The Kirinyaga senator admitted that if unresolved, the strike could affect the national exams and challenged the State to urgently resolve the impasse.

"The committee supports demands by the teachers as teaching is a very important profession," said Mr Karaba.

He was addressing the Press at a Naivasha hotel during a stakeholders' forum for the Early Childhood Education Bill that is currently before the Senate.

Poor standards

He attributed the poor education standards in some counties to years of neglect in the early childhood sector by previous governments.

Karaba said once enacted, early childhood education would be devolved, with the sector receiving more funding.

"Early childhood education has been neglected for years and this has adversely affected the foundation of minors in terms of education," he said. He noted that under the Bill, nursery schools would offer free meals to entice parents to enrol their children in school.

"It will be illegal for parents to keep their children at home while the counties will be empowered to construct classes once the Bill goes through," he said.

Kenya National Association of Parents Secretary General Musau Ndunda supported calls by teachers for better pay.

"We are concerned by the frequent strikes by teachers every year and the Government should fully address this pay issue," he said.

Speaking about the Early Childhood Education Bill, Musau said the proposed law would scrap fees and revamp the nursery curriculum.