- The 248 teachers who were on contractual terms for many years were issued with confirmation letters by the County Public Service Board.
- The ECDE teachers have been pushing to be absorbed on permanent terms since the inception of devolution.
Image: ABDIKADIR CHARI
Marsabit County ECDE teachers have a reason to smile after Governor Mohamud Ali confirmed them on permanent and pensionable terms.
The 248 teachers who were on contractual terms for many years were issued with confirmation letters by the County Public Service Board.
The ECDE teachers have been pushing to be absorbed on permanent terms since the inception of devolution.
The county has a population of over 21,000 ECDE learners admitted in 365 centres across the county with over 400 teachers.
Speaking during the event Monday, Marsabit County Governor Mohamud Ali described early childhood development education as an integral part of the development of young learners.
"Being on permanent and pensionable terms means that your services have been enhanced," said Governor Mohamud.
"I urge you to be intentional in delivering high-quality education and instilling values of love, tolerance and national cohesion. You need to put your knowledge and skills to the full benefit of the young children under your care," he added
He said his administration will focus on improving the ECDE facilities by equipping them with teaching and all basic amenities required in child development including a sustainable nutrition program.
"My administration will continue improving their working environment by putting up more infrastructure in our learning institutions," he said
Governor Mohamud pledged the unwavering commitment of his government to fostering a thriving education environment where teachers are valued as partners in the transformative journey of learners.
He urged teachers to ensure they work with passion, compassion and care as demanded by the teaching profession.
"I urged all teachers to teach with pride and humility. You have the greatest contribution to build up the character of the young children as well as helping them become ideal citizens of our country," said the county boss.
The Governor encouraged parents to invest in the education of their children, emphasizing that the education of a child is a secure investment for the entire family hence there is a need for parents to finance the education of their children.
Deputy Governor Solomon Gubo said there was a need for teachers to be well-remunerated and motivated through better terms of service.
He implored the teachers to observe discipline and commitment in their work.
Image: ABDIKADIR CHARI
"Pre-primary education provides an opportunity for young learners to enhance their cognitive, social, moral and physical development. He stressed that children who get quality and relevant pre-primary education are better prepared for primary school," he said.
The CECM education Ambaro Abdullah challenged ECDE teachers to be committed to executing their duties and urged them to be disciplined.
She said all 248 teachers absorbed on permanent and pensionable terms were well trained on CBC to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge on how to handle learners and prepare them to interpret and implement the new curriculum education.
She commended teachers for their hard work and urged them to continue striving for excellence in education to transform the lives of ECDE learners.
She thanked the partners for their implementation support of various programs in early childhood education.
Marsabit County Public Service Board chairman Ambrose Hargura said a total of 248 ECDE teachers under the contract have had their terms of service upgraded to permanent and pensionable terms after they met the scheme of service.
He said others who are aged will have their contracts reviewed to continue serving until retirement.
The National Chairman for the Kenya Union of pre-primary Education Teachers Lawrence Otunga hailed the governor for the implementation of the ECDE teacher's scheme of service and promised to support the county's educational transformation.
"As a union we are ready to support the governor's efforts in educational reforms," he said
Amina Wario, an ECDE teacher in SKM hailed the Governor for the appointment and confirmation, promising to serve with devotion.
She said early childhood learning gives children the best start in life and positively influences the development of the brain.
Image: ABDIKADIR CHARI
She urged teachers to apply their acquired knowledge and skills to effectively discharge their duties for the proper growth of the children.
"Now that we are employed, we need to put our knowledge and skills to the true test and to be innovative," she advised
Governor Mohamud also flagged off ECDE learning and instructional materials worth millions of money to be distributed to 365 learning centres.
"The flagging of the materials symbolizes our commitment to making educational resources accessible to every child, a step towards ensuring no learners is left behind because of inadequate learning materials," he said
He said the materials worth millions of money were geared towards offering quality education and a good learning environment at the ECDE centres across the county.
"We are providing the foundation that is needed and we are securing the future of our children," he said
The county boss noted that the distribution of the teaching and learning materials is part of his administration's efforts to invest heavily in the ECDE sector.