Ensure all children go to school, Nyong’o tells village elders

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o (centre) presents ECDE learning materials to an ECDE teacher at Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground on January 28, 2020. He said village councils will ensure child above four years attend ECDE classes. PHOTO | ONDARI OGEGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The governor warned that should any child be found at home, village elders will be held accountable.
  • In August last year, the governor doubled the salaries of ECDE teachers from Sh10,000 to Sh20,000.
  • He said his administration will ensure children learn in a conducive environment.

Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has instructed village elders to comb homes in the county and ensure that children who have attained the school going age are enrolled.

At the same time, the governor has revealed plans by his administration to conduct a census to determine how many children per family attend school.

speaking on Tuesday, the governor warned that should any child be found at home, village elders will be held accountable.

The Kisumu governor spoke at the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Grounds while presiding over the distribution of teaching and learning materials for the early childhood education (ECDE) programme in the county.

BOOKS

The governor distributed 57,341 exercise books and 10,391 textbooks to the three sub-counties of Kisumu Central, Kisumu West and Kisumu East.

He revealed that the county will distribute a total of 130,820 exercise books and 24,459 textbooks to ECDE centres across the seven sub-counties this year.

“We have managed to undertake all this with Sh25 million, an increase of Sh5 million from the last distribution,” said the governor.

In August last year, the governor doubled the salaries of ECDE teachers from Sh10,000 to Sh20,000, with a three-year renewable contract inclusive of health and insurance cover.

He also placed them in job groups that correspond to their level of certification.

ECDE

Governor Nyong’o said that ECDE is the foundation of many lives, hence it should be treated with a lot of seriousness.

He said the county government has put in place measures to ensure children learn in a conducive environment.

“What we are undertaking here today may appear small in the minds of a few but I want to remind you that it forms the foundation upon which the lives of our young ones in our ECDE schools will be built,” said the governor.

He said early childhood education is critical in the development of growing children and that teachers should take advantage of this to instil strong social skills, self-esteem and good morals.

Kisumu County Education CEC John Ogone promised ECDE teachers that more classes will be built to cater for learners currently studying under trees.

He said the county government is not only funding pre-primary schools but will also work together with the national government in running vocational training centres.