The fate of 313 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) officers transferred to county governments in 2015 has come under renewed scrutiny, with the Senate seeking answers over their employment status, salaries, career progression and pension benefits.
The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare is now pushing for a coordinated government response to resolve the longstanding dispute, which has left the affected officers uncertain about their employment rights and retirement benefits.
The dispute centres on whether the officers were formally released from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) or merely seconded to county governments following the transfer of ECDE services under devolution.
Appearing before the committee, TSC Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Evaleen Mitei maintained that the officers were voluntarily released to county governments with effect from July 1, 2015, effectively ending their employment with the commission.
However, the petitioners, led by Peter Makara, challenged the commission's position, arguing that their transfer should have been treated as a secondment under the constitutional framework governing devolution.
The disagreement has raised concerns over the officers' employment records and the implications of their transfer on their career advancement, allowances and pension entitlements.
Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu called for documentary evidence to establish the nature of the officers' transition, insisting that the matter should not be resolved through conflicting accounts.
He also challenged county governments to explain why the officers' career progression had stalled, despite their continued service.
Nyutu further called for the affected officers to receive their rightful allowances and pension benefits, saying their longstanding grievances needed to be addressed.
In response to the concerns raised, the committee resolved to summon the Cabinet Secretaries for Education, the National Treasury and Public Service, alongside the Chief Executive Officer of the Retirement Benefits Authority and representatives of the Council of Governors.
The planned meeting is expected to bring the relevant government agencies together to establish the officers' employment status and chart a way forward on their outstanding concerns.
The outcome could prove significant for the 313 officers, whose employment transition nearly a decade ago remains at the centre of an unresolved dispute over their rights and benefits.
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