By Christine Tarayie
Kajiado County Government has rolled out a Sh20 million fortified porridge programme to all Early Childhood Development (ECDE) children in public schools across the county in bid to entice more to attend classes.
As schools reopened for the second term, a County Government recent survey indicated more than 7,000 pupils who had attained the school going age but were yet to join school. It was noted that the number could have increased significantly in the last six months owing to the drought that had been witnessed in many areas.
Children in far-flung areas are the worst hit with some ECDE centres earlier recording 10 per cent attendance of the total enrolled children. The children walk long distances and hunger is among excuses parents have been using to stop them kids from attending school.
The County Government program will benefit an estimated 10,000 ECDE children.
Parents commended the initiative saying they had been hard hit by the drought and ECDE centres that offer lunch to pupils came in handy.
While launching the programme at Moipei Primary School at Kajiado County Governor Joseph Lenku said his administration would ensure the programme is allocated more funds in the next financial year.
Lenku said education levels in the entire county is wanting, adding that it’s high time the County Government equipped ECDE centres for the benetit of children’s future.
