- ECDE teachers across several counties continue facing disparities in salaries, employment terms and career progression.
- While some counties are recruiting and promoting teachers, others face strikes and serious staffing shortages.
- Recent developments are intensifying calls for stronger, coordinated measures to improve ECDE teachers’ welfare nationwide.
Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers across several counties are facing renewed challenges over employment terms, remuneration, staffing and professional development, putting pressure on county governments to strengthen the foundation of Kenya’s education system.
The concerns have emerged as counties take different approaches to addressing shortages and improving the welfare of teachers working at the pre-primary level.
In Machakos, some parents have reportedly been forced to contribute money every month to keep ECDE teachers in classrooms, with some parent-employed teachers earning less than Sh5,000.
The situation has renewed calls for the county government to take greater responsibility for staffing ECDE centres and ensure teachers are employed under decent and sustainable terms.
In West Pokot, the Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET) issued a seven-day strike notice over a range of grievances, including remuneration, job grading, hardship allowance, gratuity, terms of employment and union recognition.
The union directed affected teachers not to report to work from October 2, escalating pressure on the county administration to address their concerns.
The situation is, however, different in Nyamira, where the county government reached an agreement with ECDE teachers and ended a strike.
Under the agreement, salaries for permanent and pensionable ECDE teachers were to be adjusted in line with recommendations by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). Contract teachers are also expected to be converted to permanent and pensionable terms by July 1, 2027.
Counties invest in recruitment and training
Elsewhere, counties are investing in learning resources and teacher development.
Kericho has begun distributing 1,484 PP1 and PP2 curriculum materials to ECDE centres. Its 2026/27 plans also include equipping 900 ECDE centres and training 1,422 teachers.
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has announced plans to promote about 1,200 eligible ECDE teachers in the county by December and recruit additional teachers to address staffing shortages.
The county has also partnered with Mount Kenya University to support ECDE teachers pursuing higher academic qualifications.
In Elgeyo Marakwet, the County Public Service Board is seeking to recruit 38 ECDE caregivers on three-year contracts, offering a consolidated monthly salary of Sh18,000. Applications close on October 14, 2026.
The developments highlight the uneven conditions under which ECDE teachers operate across the country, despite the critical role they play in preparing children for primary education.
They also come amid continued debate over the division of responsibilities between the national and county governments in the management of teachers.
A recent High Court decision reaffirmed the legal position that county governments have the mandate to recruit ECDE teachers, but must recruit trained teachers registered by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), which retains the constitutional mandate of teacher registration.
With counties responsible for the employment of ECDE teachers, differences in salaries, grading, recruitment and career progression are likely to remain a major issue unless a more coordinated national framework is developed.
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The latest developments therefore point to a growing demand for counties to move beyond recruitment and classroom infrastructure and place greater emphasis on the long-term welfare, professional growth and job security of ECDE teachers.
By Our Reporter
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