A section of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in Siaya County have staged protests against the county government of Siaya citing salary disparities, unpaid arrears, and alleged illegal deductions from their payslips.
The teachers, represented by the Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) said that although they were transitioned to permanent and pensionable terms in May 2023, the process has been marred by what they described as discriminatory and exploitative administrative practices.
According to KUNOPET Siaya branch Executive Secretary Elly Odongo, more than 600 teachers have gone for eight months without receiving the salary increments outlined in their appointment letters.
The educators also raised concerns over payroll irregularities, claiming that some Provident Fund (PF) numbers used to access government payslips return different names when entered into the system, raising fears of possible administrative errors or fraud.
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Teacher Margaret Achieng’ alleged that unauthorized deductions have been made from teachers’ salaries for loans they did not apply for.
At the same time, Barack Omondi, chair of the Siaya ECDE teachers, accused the County Public Service Board of bypassing recruitment procedures.
He claimed that deployment letters were issued without public vacancy announcements, resulting in irregular hiring, with some individuals reportedly working for extended periods without pay.
The teachers are also demanding payment of gratuity for the period between 2016 and 2023.Many teachers served on temporary contracts for years without renewal under the previous administration and are now seeking compensation for that time.
The group warned that they would escalate their protests, including returning to the governor’s office, if their grievances ranging from unpaid arrears to alleged “ghost” loan deductions are not addressed promptly.
By Our Reporter
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