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{
    "id": 1162186,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1162186/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 48,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have a few comments on the report that our able Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Sen. (Dr.) Milgo, has presented before the House. Last week, I made an impartial appeal that we must have a seamless engagement with the CoG and other stakeholders regarding the issue of ECDE teachers, so that we can have a harmonized scheme of service. I was in the House when the Sen. Sakaja-led Committee tabled a report. I am happy that Sen. (Dr.) Milgo’s committee has given us a raft of recommendations. One of them is to ensure we have harmonized schemes of service for our ECDE teachers. Another recommendation is to ensure that they get salary increment and personal emoluments as per the law and that they are protected under the labour laws. That is very critical. Another important point that they have made is that the CoG should have a joint approach on the issue of ECDE teachers. As I had indicated last week, it is a sorry state in Nandi County. The ECDE teachers in Nandi County are paid a salary of Kshs10,000 per month, without personal emoluments and allowances. A sum of Kshs10,000 can do nothing. You cannot pay rent, school fees, National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) or any other statutory deductions. That is what is happening in Nandi County. I agree with Sen. (Dr.) Milgo, that governors are trying to use ECDE teachers as campaign tools. For example, about a month ago, my governor called all the ECDE teachers in Nandi County. He fed them and then lied that if they vote for him in the nominations, he will renew their terms in June. It is very unfortunate. We should not use our ECDE teachers as a rubberstamp to ascend to political offices. After feeding, singing campaign songs and promising them heaven on earth, it has never materialized. Their salary is still Kshs10,000 per month. I have heard that other counties are paying even less. We should have a harmonized payment of ECDE teachers. That is why I requested that even if the CoG does not have a way of developing a harmonized scheme of service, they can consult the TSC and other stakeholders like Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and other educationists, so that we can have a joint approach. The best legacy of the Senate of the Twelfth Parliament, before the next Senate of the third generation of devolution, would be to ensure that we have ECDE teachers on permanent and pensionable terms and harmonized schemes of service. We should avoid people who use ECDE teachers as campaign tools. Therefore, I make a passionate appeal that ECDE teachers be given their rightful share. They must be paid. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as I conclude, she has said that governors prefer giving out bursaries because it is more politically convenient to do so. Governors also find it politically convenient to build ECDE centres as opposed to taking care of the human resource of our ECDE teachers. You can have beautiful buildings as ECDE"
}