The County Government of Kisumu has given out assorted learning materials worth Sh 19.8 million to various early childhood and development education centers across the area.
The items in question will benefit a total number of 43, 640 learners who are enrolled in 687 public ECDE centers within Kisumu county.
Flagging off the items on behalf of Governor Anyang Nyong’o the CECM in charge of public service Judith Oluoch said the learning materials include 19,794 textbooks, 151,254 exercise books, 50,000 pencils, and 50,000 erasers.
Nyong’o said in a speech read on his behalf by Oluoch that the materials would be distributed to all public ECDE centers within Kisumu County.
“We do not procure these materials for their aesthetical value to conform to some procurement or budgetary dictates but because of their critical contribution to the early learners’ growth,’ he said.
Nyong’o said the gesture will make young children want to know and learn more.
He said it is aimed at encouraging active learning in ECDE centers in addition to Supporting the parents and community at large by relieving them from buying the learning materials for their children.
The governor said it is also aimed at helping in the development of fine muscles as they interact with the materials.
He further indicated that they will go a long way in exposing the learners to develop different skills and the adoption of desirable values and attitudes, providing the teachers with valuable information on various topics, keeping them updated with relevant information and helping in their professional development.
The governor expressed his deep appreciation to the Department of Early Childhood Development and Education for staying true to its vision of developing young ones positively to grow to be members of the society that will carry on the wheel of life.
“The decision to give counties this responsibility under Schedule Four of our Constitution was carefully taken and we take this responsibility very seriously because this is where devolution really meets the road,” he said.
In this decade of action for the adoption of the Goals for Sustainable Development, Nyong’o said, they are called upon to play a part in addressing the interconnected challenges of sustainable development.
The governor called for universal access to quality education especially quality early childhood education.
He said the True meaning of early childhood education aims at total child development, in a learning environment that is joyful, child-centred, playful, and activity-based.
The governor said it is expected to provide necessary maturational and experimental readiness to the child for meeting the demands of the Competence Based Curriculum ECDE encompasses a wide variety of activities designed to promote children’s cognitive and social development.
He said some programs primarily focus on school and academic readiness while others embrace a “whole child” approach that emphasizes mental and emotional preparedness.
In order to achieve the stated vision and objectives, Nyong’o said, they must scale up investments in this sector to allow all the children to access and complete free, equitable, inclusive, and quality early childhood education.
He cautioned those charged with the responsibility of managing these investments to be guided by integrity and honour.
The governor said he is encouraged by how the department has injected prudence in the management of resources at their disposal in this sector and wished to encourage continuance on that path.
By Fredrick Odiero
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