- Residents of Kugitura Village have accused the county government of neglecting Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) at Kugitura Primary School.
- Parents and community leaders say learners are studying in overcrowded and dilapidated classrooms that threaten their health and safety.
- The community is demanding immediate action to improve infrastructure and deploy more qualified ECDE teachers.
Residents of Kugitura Village have accused the county government of failing to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to provide quality Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), citing the poor state of infrastructure at Kugitura Primary School.
Parents and community leaders who toured the school described overcrowded, rusted metal classrooms with inadequate ventilation, saying the facilities pose a risk to learners’ health and safety.
Leading the criticism was Board of Management Chairperson Zephania Mokenye, who said the county government had neglected ECDE development since the advent of devolution.
“These structures are not only undignified, but also dangerous,” Mokenye said. “Our children are being forced to learn in inhumane conditions while the county government looks the other way. This is a clear failure to invest in early education, which is supposed to be the foundation of learning.”
The school’s growing enrolment has not been matched by investment in classrooms or teaching staff, resulting in overcrowded learning spaces and a shortage of qualified ECDE teachers.
Residents pointed to the Early Childhood Education Act, which mandates county governments to construct ECDE facilities and employ qualified teachers, arguing that the law has not been fully implemented in Kugitura.
Residents demand urgent action
Parent Wekena Barrack called on county officials to urgently address the crisis.
“We are not asking for luxuries—just the basic right for our children to learn in decent classrooms with professional teachers,” he said. “This is the only school in the area. If the county fails us here, it fails the entire future generation of this village.”
The appeal comes amid recent assurances by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba that the national government would prioritise the rehabilitation of schools with poor infrastructure in remote and underserved regions.
However, residents insisted that responsibility for ECDE lies with county governments.
“We’ve heard promises before, but we want action,” Mokenye added. “This is about our children. They deserve better, and we will not stop pushing until they get it.”
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The community is demanding immediate intervention and a clear implementation timeline, warning that continued inaction will further disadvantage children in rural areas and undermine efforts to achieve equitable access to quality education.
By Kimutai Langat
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