The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Kiambu West Branch has protested the exclusion of teachers holding Degrees and Diplomas in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) from the ongoing national teacher upgrading exercise.
In a circular addressed to all teachers, the branch’s Executive Secretary Michael N. M. Muna expressed concern that many ECDE-trained teachers are being locked out of the system because their applications are being rejected on the basis of qualifications that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has not recognized since 2013.
“It has been brought to my attention that teachers holding Degree or Diploma certificates in ECDE are being left out in the ongoing upgrading largely because the system is rejecting their applications on the basis of those degrees which the TSC has not been recognizing since 2013,” Muna stated in the circular.
He described the situation as unfair and discouraging, noting that many of the affected teachers made huge financial and personal sacrifices to pursue their ECDE qualifications in a bid to advance their careers and improve their professional competence.
“It is indeed unfortunate that the degree and diploma, under the current circumstances, are disadvantaging the teachers, not forgetting how much they labored to acquire them,” he added.
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To address the issue, Muna has urged all affected teachers within Kiambu West Branch to forward their details in PDF format via WhatsApp to the number 0706-410999 for onward submission to the office of the KNUT Secretary General.
He said the union will take collective action to ensure the matter is addressed at the national level.
The KNUT official emphasized that no teacher should be discriminated against based on the nature of their qualifications, especially when those qualifications were previously accepted by educational authorities.
Muna’s appeal comes amid growing discontent among ECDE teachers across the country, who feel sidelined in the ongoing upgrading process despite their commitment to professional development.
The branch now wants the Teachers Service Commission and the Ministry of Education to review their policies and ensure that all qualified teachers, regardless of specialization, benefit from the upgrading exercise.
By Philip Koech
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