TSC and ECDE Teacher Employment: What You Need to Know
In Kenya, early childhood development education (ECDE) teachers are among the lowest-paid civil servants, particularly in the teaching profession. The teachers have every reason to be pleased after the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) successfully convinced the national government to hire them. However, how much do you know about the employment of ECDE teachers by TSC?
The pre-primary level is where ECDE teachers instruct their students. They are instrumental in the development of children by helping to shape and nurture them for a brighter future. Toddlers’ physical, intellectual, and emotional development must be shaped by their teachers. They establish a setting that fosters a sense of security for infants.
Teachers who specialize in early childhood education and development are employed by counties.
ECDE teachers have been required to be employed by county governments for an extended period of time. They are subject to a specific mandate in all facets of pre-primary education, with the exception of teacher registration, which is exclusively the responsibility of the TSC.
The salaries of ECDE teachers have not been harmonised in the majority of counties. In the majority of counties, teachers are employed on a contract basis, as opposed to permanent and pensionable terms. Other individuals are employed under contracts that are renewable every two years.
What is the average compensation for an ECDE in each county?
The remuneration formula of the county significantly influences the salary of an ECDE instructor. The majority of counties pay ECDE teachers a monthly salary ranging from Sh.10,000 to Sh.20,000. In other counties, the monthly salary of ECDE teachers is less than Sh.10,000.
Is it possible for TSC to hire ECDE teachers?
TSC is able to hire ECDE teachers as a result of the ongoing reforms in the education sector. During 2014, KNUT went to court to dispute the direct employment of ECDE teachers by county governments.
The court ruled in favor of the county governments and ordered TSC to register all ECDE teachers after a two-year impasse between the county governments and TSC. Wilson Sossion, the Secretary General of KNUT, requested that the governors transfer the teachers they had recruited to TSC. This indicates that ECDE teachers will have a permanent and pensionable position.
TSC employment in counties
The county level is where the TSC registration for ECDE teachers is administered. The TSC registration requirements for ECDE Teachers are contingent upon the level of education. The following is a detailed explanation of the registration requirements.
College degree
- A mean grade of C+ or higher
Diploma
- University diplomas with a mean grade of C+ (plus) or higher.
- ECDE Certificate from KNEC and a mean grade of C Plain in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.
Certificate
- A KNEC proficiency certificate, an ECDE Certificate from KNEC, and a mean grade of D (ordinary) or higher at KCSE.
- A minimum mean grade of D+(plus) at KCSE and an ECDE Certificate from KNEC.
- At least ECDE Certificate from KNEC and CPE/KCPE.
ECDE teachers in Kenya are now compensated according to a new salary scale.
The recruitment of ECDE teachers by TSC is currently in progress. TSC has devised a service scheme for the teachers who will be assigned to public institutions. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has explicitly defined the compensation that ECDE teachers should receive in accordance with their respective educational levels.
An ECDE teacher may be employed as an Assistant Teacher in Job Group F, as per the scheme. The minimum salary for Assistant ECDE Teacher III is Ksh7,836 and the utmost is Ksh8,717.
Conversely, diploma holders (Senior ECDE Teacher I) with 15 years of teaching experience will receive a minimum of Ksh 15,224 and a maximum of Ksh 19,064. Job Group R is the most advanced ECDE job group. After demonstrating strong leadership skills and completing additional education, ECDE teachers will advance to the highest level.
TSC and ECDE Teacher Employment: What You Need to Know
