Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has revealed that 453 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers on contract have been converted to permanent and pensionable positions.

Speaking on Monday, the governor said that the delay in confirming the ECDE teachers to be permanent and pensionable was due to constraints of budgetary allocation that would cater to their salaries and allowances.

“In 2014, in recognition of your role, the county government recruited 950 of you on contract due to budgetary constraints that delayed your conversion to permanent and pensionable position.”

“But your dedication and hard work never wavered since 2014. In January, the first cohort of 497 teachers were taken on permanent positions, and I promised the rest of you that you will have your day in July,” he added.

However, he pointed out that this gesture was not a political event, saying that the government was rewarding the hard work exhibited by the teachers despite them earning very little money, which would not cater to their daily needs.

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Additionally, he said the national and county governments needed to treat and remunerate teachers well because they perform a duty of preserving the future and positively impacting the young children of this country.

Mutula said that his government has invested in building child-friendly infrastructure and providing essential materials to facilitate activities like music and digital learning in ECDE centres across the county.

“We can spend so much money to construct beautiful classrooms and teachers go home with Kes 5, 000 or Kes 7,000. This is not human. I say we are sorry for what you have gone through,” lamented Mutula.

“We recognize the security of your welfare is an extension and assurance that you will not abandon our alpha generation.”

The diploma teachers who were earning Kes 20,000 will now get Kes 41,000 while certificate holders will earn Ks 37,000 from Kes 17,000 besides other allowances.

 The ECDE teachers will be transferrable within the county.

He encouraged the ECDE teachers to embrace continuous learning so that they keep abreast of the technologies and teaching methodologies to enable them to offer quality ECD learning to the young children of Makueni.