The Siaya County Caucus for Persons Living with Disabilities has decried discrimination of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teachers with disabilities in the recent appointments done on Tuesday last week by the county.
Led by former nominated Member of County Assembly (MCA) representing Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) Margaret Oketch, the Caucus regretted that the county government had intentionally ignored the plight of children living with disabilities who continue to suffer due to lack of special education attention.
She said that there was a large pool of special needs ECDE teachers in their database who have sought employment from the county unsuccessfully over the last decade.
“Whereas we recognize and appreciate the efforts by our Governor James Orengo in employing over 600 ECDE teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, we remain disturbed by the biasness the county has shown in denying our special needs ECDE teachers the opportunity to serve,” she regretted.
According to Oketch, a lot of ECDE learners in the community with conditions such as autism, hearing impairment and visual impairment have to contend with attending regular ECDE centers in local primary schools without specialized care.
The 602 teachers drawn from the county’s 6 sub-counties, who were engaged by the county government on contract for ten years, were handed appointment letters by Governor James Orengo hiring them on permanent and pensionable terms.
Speaking during the function, Orengo stated that the new arrangement offers the tutors better terms of service based on their qualifications.
The tutors had been entitled to a uniform emolument of Ksh22,626 irrespective of qualifications but in the revised remuneration, all certificate holders will be paid a gross monthly salary of Ksh23,853 while Diploma holders will get a gross monthly salary of Ksh33,906 and Degree holders will earn a monthly gross salary of Ksh43,470.
“My administration will also continue improving on the working environment by putting up more infrastructures in our learning institutions.” Orengo said.
By Erick Nyayiera
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