CGN efforts towards supporting the education sector

Education is one of the key components that bring growth and progress in a society. The more people in a society are educated, the more they can provide a beneficial contribution to their environment. It is also a powerful agent of change, improves health and livelihoods, contributes to social stability and drives long-term economic growth.

The County Government of Nyeri under the stewardship of H.E Governor Mutahi Kahiga is acutely aware of the sentiments highlighted above and that it is why it has invested heavily in the education sector with an aim of improving the standards for both young and old learners.

Governor Kahiga, who doubles as the CoG Education Committee chair has continuously expressed his commitment to the education sector noting that a good foundation in education is the key to success, hence a need to create a good learning environment for learners as well as allocate financial resources to those from needy families with an aim of helping them realize their dreams

Over the last three years, through the Department of Education & Sports, a total of Kshs. 240 million has been expended through the Elimu Bursary Fund Programme.

The bursary, which targets students from vulnerable and needy families across the 30 wards has benefitted over 51,000 students. Within the same period, 120 best, bright and needy students in secondary schools, two per ward, have also benefited from a full Governor’s Scholarship Programme.

Eugene King’ori one of the beneficiaries and a success story, is a happy lad as he highlights how his life has been impacted positively by this program.

“I want to sincerely thank the governor for such a wonderful initiative. I scored an impressive A in KCSE and now my dream of becoming a doctor is turning into a reality with the continued support that I am receiving from this program,” he noted.

Another beneficiary Margaret Gathoni from Iriani ward in Mathira, expressed her gratitude to the governor noting that she can now focus on her studies without worrying about missing classes due to lack of school fees.

In the pursuance of improving Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), the county government has employed over 800 ECDE teachers, built and renovated 39 ECDE centres across the county with an aim of ensuring young novices have favourable learning environs. The governor has further promised ECDE caregivers that their terms of service will be looked into in a bid to improve their salaries and benefits.

“It is our duty as the county government to ensure that we invest heavily on ECDE centers as well as the ECDE teachers for they are vital in the learning and growth of our children. We are currently upgrading all infrastructures in our ECDE and Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) and at the same time building new classrooms and workshops where necessary. This is our focus to bring them to better standards,” noted governor Kahiga.

In light of this, the county government annually distributes ECDE learning materials and teaching guides across the 436 ECDE centres. In the financial year 2020/2021, a consignment of learning materials worth Kshs. 9.3 million were disbursed to all the centres benefitting over 23,000 pupils.

The ECDE materials included tables, plastic chairs, play equipment, reading and writing equipment, teaching guides among other things which were specifically tailored for the pupils’ comfort and to enhance a conducive learning environment.

In this Covid-19 era, water tanks were also distributed in a bid to curb the spread of the virus by ensuring a steady supply of water for regular handwashing, general sanitation and hygiene.

Nyeri Education CEC Margaret Macharia, highlighted that the county government is committed to supporting the education sector including the ECDE centres and VTCs through this annual programme which involves providing learning and reading materials.

“We provide the centres with teaching and learning materials such as books, pencils, pens, registers as well as teachers and learners guides which are Competency Based Curriculum compliant,” added the CEC.

Esther Kioni, Officer in-charge of ECDE centres in Nyeri County lauded the county government for taking up the responsibility of refurbishing ECDE centers since Governor Kahiga took up the leadership mantle.

“Previously, most of our centres were in pathetic conditions, however, with interventions such as improved infrastructure and providence of learning materials, we are sure that all children in our ECDE centers across the county will have the best quality education which I know is the ultimate goal of our governor,” she noted.

Tetu Principal Education Officer Winnie Hunyo also thanked the governor for his continued support, noting that the materials provided annually go a long way in uplifting the ECDE centres, the caregivers and pupils at large.

Nyeri sub-county Director of Education Paul Mungai, commended governor Kahiga for his continued collaboration with the national government in matters education with the overall aim of making sure that the learners have excellent learning environments.

Head teachers from various schools also hailed the governor Kahiga for the astounding support towards bettering the standards of ECDE centers across the county as well as hiring caregivers who posed a challenge to them when it came to payments and salaries, as most schools lacked the financial resources for the same.

Parents are also a happy lot with the great input that the ECDE centers have received from the county government. One of the parents, Catherine Wangui, a parent at Kirigu ECDE in Karatina ward thanked the governor for purchasing learning and teaching materials which will put the young learners at ease as they learn.

“We are grateful for having a leader who has our children’s matters at heart. A leader who is working tirelessly to ensure our children have enough learning materials and an increasing the care givers salary as well, which has motivated them to add more effort while instilling knowledge in our children who’s gone further to provide water tanks,” she noted.

“We are very glad that you are keen about our children’s hygiene. Provision of water tanks has helped in ensuring general sanitation is maintained thus ensuring that the health of our children is not compromised as we battle a pandemic,” Liwa. S from Kirimukuyu ward noted.

Stephen Gitonga who is a board committee member of Ngunguru Primary School in Kirimukuyu ward, lauded the governor for his efforts in ensuring that ECDE centres across the county have sufficient learning materials and teaching guides as well as a clean and favourable learning environment.

“Education is the key to success; with education, we are able to curb crimes, corruption and poverty in our society,” he added.

Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) have also had a tremendous input from the county government in a bid to give the youth a conducive environment for learning and innovativeness. The county government has built and renovated 13 polytechnics as well as equipped them to ensure they are centres of excellence

“The Big Four Agenda will be realized through skills driven education offered in the TVETs, hence the need to embrace VTC,” noted the governor.

In this financial year, three centres: Kaberero, Githiru and Nairutia received materials such as sewing machines, salon and barber equipment which will be instrumental during classes.

The Department of Education also conducted a training exercise for VTCs managers and chairmen which aimed at educating them on how to account for funds, books keeping and leadership. This will ultimately see the institutions run better and the students receive exceptional services.

Education is a ray of light in the darkness. It certainly is a hope for a good life. It is also a basic right of every human and that is why the County Government of Nyeri is committed to keep on educating its citizens and supporting them in the pursue of it.