- Governor Andrew Mwadime highlighted 678 ECDE centres, 326 teachers, feeding programmes, and recent quality assurance assessments, while senators flagged gaps in policy compliance, staffing, and infrastructure.
- Senators raised concerns over lack of child care centres, inadequate furniture, and low teacher pay, urging counties to absorb ECDE staff into permanent payrolls and reduce parental financial burdens.
- The county operates 31 vocational centres but faces low enrolment and limited disability‑friendly infrastructure.
Taita Taveta County has defended its record on early childhood education and vocational training before the Senate Standing Committee on Education, even as lawmakers flagged gaps in policy compliance, staffing and infrastructure that the county has yet to close.
Appearing before the committee at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi alongside Acting County Executive Committee Member for Education Shedrack Mutungi, Governor Andrew Mwadime told senators the county runs 678 ECDE centres served by 326 teachers, and has continued investing in new classrooms, rehabilitated facilities and expanded learning infrastructure since devolution began.
He said all ECDE learners receive porridge under a school feeding programme, with lunch jointly financed by the county, parents and development partners including World Vision, a measure officials credited with improving attendance and retention.
The committee heard that between February and March 2026, the county conducted a Quality Assurance Assessment covering every public and private ECDE centre across its four sub-counties, evaluating teaching standards, infrastructure and compliance with national policy.
However, Vice Chairperson Senator Prof. Margaret Kamar raised concerns over whether classroom furniture meets the National Pre-Primary Education Policy, which recommends child-friendly hexagonal tables.
Mutungi conceded the county has not yet procured the recommended furniture, but said its purchase has been prioritised in next financial year’s budget.
ALSO READ:
MPs urge TVET institutions to step up recruitment campaigns to address declining student enrolment
Senators also questioned the absence of formal Child Care Centres for children below four years. Governor Mwadime admitted the county has yet to establish these facilities but said it is now developing a Child Care Policy to guide future implementation. On a separate query from Senator Catherine Mumma, education officials confirmed Taita Taveta has already approved and operationalised its own ECDE Policy, which now guides infrastructure development and service delivery countywide.
Staffing shortages emerged as a major concern. Senator Agnes Kavindu Muthama pressed officials on their strategy for addressing teacher and classroom deficits. Officials said 46 ECDE infrastructure projects have been completed, and the recruitment of 30 additional teachers is in its final stages, with successful candidates expected to report during the current financial year.
The committee also raised alarm over reports that some Board of Management (BOM) teachers earn between KSh5,000 and KSh10,000 a month.
Senator Seki Ole Lenku urged county governments to progressively absorb all ECDE teachers into permanent payrolls, arguing parents should not finance responsibilities that constitutionally belong to counties, and called for uniform funding of ECDE functions nationwide.
Parental contributions drew further scrutiny, with Senator Johnnes Mwaruma reminding officials that national policy provides for free early childhood education and cautioning against imposing additional costs on parents beyond agreed feeding contributions. Governor Mwadime assured the committee his administration would continue increasing budgetary allocations to ECDE while progressively reducing the financial burden on families.
Attention then turned to vocational training. The committee learnt that Taita Taveta operates 31 fully functional Vocational Training Centres, all staffed by county-employed instructors, though the governor acknowledged low enrolment remains a major challenge. Since January 2026, 924 learners have transitioned directly from primary school into VTCs, while a further 1,143 enrolled after completing secondary education.
Mwadime also flagged challenges facing learners with disabilities, including inadequate disability-friendly infrastructure, a shortage of trainers with Special Needs Education skills and limited assistive learning equipment, pledging to upgrade facilities and mobilise resources to make vocational education more inclusive.
ALSO READ:
School principals set to face parliament over management of billions in capitation funds
Committee Chairperson Senator Betty Montet disclosed that the committee has already engaged 41 county governments and conducted oversight visits in 23 counties nationwide, urged counties to keep investing in vocational education as a driver of youth employment and economic growth. Governor Mwadime welcomed the committee’s recommendations and pledged that Taita Taveta would implement them to strengthen its ECDE and vocational training programmes.
The session was part of the Senate’s nationwide oversight of how counties are implementing their constitutional mandate over Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) and Vocational Training Centres (VTCs).
By Hillary Muhalya
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
