Bungoma County has launched a free Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) feeding program that will benefit 90,750 learners across 820 centers.
Speaking during the official launch at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi on Wednesday April 30, Governor Kenneth Lusaka said the initiative aims to combat classroom hunger and improve school attendance, concentration, and learning outcomes among pre-primary learners.
He said that each child will receive 40 grams of fortified porridge three days a week adding that in total, the county has procured 141,570 kilograms of the porridge, which has been tested and certified by county nutritionists.
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“This is not just a feeding program—it is a promise that no child in Bungoma will be left behind because of hunger,” said Lusaka. “A nourished child can dream, thrive, and grow into a leader of tomorrow.”
The program which targets 41,794 learners in PP1 and 48,956 in PP2 according to governor Lusaka is part of a broader investment in early childhood education by the county government, which has allocated Kshs 30 million for the feeding program this financial year. An additional Kshs 23 million has been set aside for ECDE teaching and learning materials, and Kshs 25 million for vocational training equipment.
The governor also presided over the second phase of ECDE book distribution, benefiting 41,974 PP1 learners. Meanwhile, 4,715 trainees from 89 Vocational Training Centres will receive new learning tools.
In a push to digitize early learning, Bungoma is partnering with EdTech firm EIDU to integrate digital learning in 135 ECDE centers, with expansion plans covering 450 more centers in the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
Governor Lusaka reaffirmed the county’s commitment to early childhood development, citing continued investment in modern classrooms, recruitment of qualified ECDE teachers, and provision of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) materials.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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