By Our Reporter
The Government is set to distribute food worth Ksh 2.7 billion to learners in schools in 26 counties in Arid and Semiarid (ASAL) areas in the country.
Speaking when he received UNICEF Country Representative in Kenya Ms. Shaheen Nilofer in his office today, Education Cabinet Secretary Mr. Ezekiel Machogu said the disbursement is aimed at ensuring enrollment, retention of learners in school as well as improving learning outcomes.
He said the Ministry was working with development partners to provide additional food stocks to boost what the government has already provided from its budgetary allocations.
Mr. Machogu said the availability of food in schools in ASAL areas – which suffer from prolonged drought – attracts and keeps children in school, thereby enabling them to learn comfortably.
He said UNICEF has supported children matters in the country and has steered reforms in basic Education on many fronts and thanked them for the partnership they have had for many years
Mr. Machogu named the Competency-Based Curriculum, facilitating children access to and retention in school, provision of sanitary pads to school-going girls, teacher capacity development, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project in schools among other areas UNICEF has supported Kenya in her education reform process.
Ms. Shaheen Nilofer thanked Kenya for the education reforms it was undertaking saying the reforms will better prepare learners for the 21st century.
She thanked Kenya for the training and recruitment of teachers especially for schools in ASAL areas.
“You cannot talk about learning outcomes without qualified teachers,” Shaheen noted.
She also lauded the school feeding programme, saying it was important in ensuring enrollment and retention of learners in schools.
Principal Secretary for Vocational and Technical Training Dr. Esther Muoria thanked UNICEF for the support towards Basic Education, saying it provides the foundation for learners to undertake Technical and Vocational Education and Training in tertiary institutions.
Principal Secretary for the State Departments of University Education & Research, Dr. Beatrice Inyangala expressed the need for UNICEF to strengthen the teachers’ capacity to support CBC reforms by reskilling them.
Although University Education is outside the mandate of UNICEF, Dr. Inyangala nevertheless asked the Country Representative to support the realignment of the Bachelor of Education programmes to the Competence Based Curriculum requirements in order to make the implementation of CBC a success.
Present during the occasion were the Director General, Dr. Elyas Abdi, senior education and UNICEF officers.
