By Kiplat Kaptuya
1300 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in West Pokot county have been appointed on permanent and pensionable terms.
Speaking during a ceremony to hand over the appointment letters to the teachers at Kishaunet showground, the governor Professor John Lanyangapuo termed the move a milestone in the education sector.
He added that he has been working on ensuring the teachers are absorbed into permanent terms and that he is proud his dream has become a reality.
“We came up with the idea and presented it to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Teachers Service Commission, Council of Governors and trade unions,” Prof Lonyangapuo said.
He added that salaries have been adjusted upwards to commensurate the teachers’ levels of education.
“The teachers have been on contract since the inception of devolution. There are teachers who have furthered their education and we have factored in all that,” he said.
He noted that the new salaries for the teachers are already in the budget and that the teachers will have a medical cover as well as house and hardship allowance.
He thanked the ECDE teachers for the eight years they waited to be appointed into the permanent and pensionable terms.
The governor also used the opportunity to drum up support for himself to be elected for a second term in the coming general elections.
Former West Pokot Deputy Governor Titus Lotee said that the new move will be of great benefit to teachers as they will benefit from attractive pension schemes.
