ECDE CRISIS IN NYAMIRA: TEACHERS STRIKE AS COUNTY THREATENS DISCIPLINE

Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in Nyamira County on Wednesday vowed to continue their industrial action and stay away from classrooms until the county government fully addresses their long-standing grievances, according to union officials.

Linet Momanyi, secretary general of the Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET), confirmed that the strike remains in force. Teachers have declared they will not resume duties until authorities respond to demands covering salary adjustments, promotions, better working conditions and job security.

The action, which intensified this week after the expiry of a formal notice, has affected public ECDE centres across the county as third-term learning continues. Teachers argue that current pay levels fall short of Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) guidelines and lag behind rates in neighbouring counties. Many also cite delayed payments in previous periods, incomplete conversion to permanent and pensionable terms, and the need for improved schemes of service.

“We will not return to class until the government addresses our grievances and responds to our demands,” Momanyi stated, underscoring the teachers’ resolve.

County officials have firmly rejected the strike. In a statement issued on August 25, Education Executive Committee Member CPA Emily Ongaga described the industrial action called by KUNOPPET as unlawful and warned that participating teachers face disciplinary measures under the law.

Ongaga said the union lacks legal recognition in Nyamira because it has registered only 93 members out of the county’s 882 ECDE teachers far below the simple majority of 442 required under the Labour Relations Act for a recognition agreement and lawful industrial action. She maintained that learning at public ECDE centres is proceeding normally and urged parents to continue sending their children to school.

“Any teacher participating in this unlawful industrial action will face disciplinary measures as prescribed by law,” Ongaga said. The county administration insisted it remains open to dialogue through recognised and lawful channels while dismissing the strike call as misinformation that risks causing unnecessary anxiety among parents.

👉 Read the full article: Nyamira County brands ECDE teachers’ strike unlawful  and warns of disciplinary action: https://getembetv.co.ke/articles/nyamira-county-rejects-ecde-teachers-strike-calls-for-normal-learning

ECDE teachers form a critical foundation of Kenya’s education system, handling pre-primary learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum. Responsibility for their employment and remuneration rests with county governments. In Nyamira, successive administrations under Governor Amos Nyaribo have confirmed hundreds of teachers on permanent terms in recent years and introduced initiatives such as feeding programmes, yet disputes over pay parity and contracts have repeatedly surfaced.

Similar tensions have arisen in other counties, where KUNOPPET has pursued negotiations or court action to enforce SRC salary structures for certificate, diploma and degree holders. Local teachers in Nyamira have previously staged demonstrations over underpayment, arrears and contract issues.

As of Thursday, both sides remained entrenched. Teachers insist the protest will continue until concrete commitments are made, while county authorities maintain that classes are open and that any industrial action outside recognised union frameworks is invalid. Parents and education stakeholders are closely monitoring the situation for its potential impact on young learners at the start of the term.

The standoff highlights ongoing challenges in harmonising ECDE teacher welfare across Kenya’s 47 counties amid competing budgetary priorities and legal thresholds for union representation. Further talks or official responses are expected in the coming days.