Counties can employ ECD tutors, says TA

The Transition Authority (TA) has said Counties should be allowed to employ Early Childhood Education (ECD) teachers.

The authority said early child hood education is a constitutional mandate of county governments and wondered why there is a debate on who should employ these teachers.

Teachers unions and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has opposed the move by counties to hire these teachers arguing that only the national government and TSC have been mandated to do so.

However, speaking in Kwale County on Monday, TA Officer Simeon Pkiyach said there should be no controversy over this employment issue because the law is very clear on who between the counties and TSC is supposed to employ ECD teachers.

QUALIFIED TEACHERS

“Teachers Service Commission has only been given the mandate to register ECD teachers and not employ them,” he said.

Pkiyach said the counties however have to work with the commission in ensuring they employ qualified individuals.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Executive Secretary Kinango branch Simeon Nyundo has persistently insisted that the move by counties to employ ECD teachers is unwarranted since they (counties) lack capacity to do so.

The official said even if counties are allowed to employ nursery school teachers, there will be inequality across the country because some counties get more money than others.

“Only TSC can appoint teachers such that each region is adequately covered,” he said.

However, county assembly education committee chair, Anthony Yama, said they will go all out and employ ECD teachers.