Knut demands quick registration of ECDE teachers

A union has told the Teachers Service Commission to expedite the registration of Early Childhood Development Education instructors as ordered by the High Court last year.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said TSC must honour the court order and register all nursery school teachers recruited by county governments.

But Mr Sossion said the commission has not yet adhered to Judge Edward Muriithi's directive.

"ECDE is one of the flagship projects of county governments and we, together with other education stakeholders, are giving it a keen interest hence the need by TSC to quickly ensure formal employment of the staff," Mr Sossion said.

Knut had moved to court in 2014 protesting the direct employment of ECDE teachers by county governments, arguing that such a move is reserved for the TSC.

Speaking during the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the union and the Kisumu County government regarding ECDE education, Mr Sossion said the union wants the programme to run efficiently.

"We want to develop structured MoUs with county governments to see quality and efficient ECDE programmes.

"We want to move to all the remaining counties to sign the MoUs. We expect this programme to end by March 2018," he said.

Governor Jack Ranguma said his government is ready to provide the necessary resources to boost ECDE education.

He promised to put up modern centres.

"We have so far put up 150 ECDE classrooms in Kisumu. We are looking forward to ensuring that the same classes are built in all the 750 schools within the county," Mr Ranguma said.