The number of children being enrolled for Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) continues to decline despite investments by devolved governments, a new report says.
According to the Senate report “Status of Implementation of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) in the Country”, county governments increased funding to Sh4.970 billion in the 2019/20 financial year, up from Sh386.3 million in 2013.
The report shows that enrolment between 2013 and 2016 increased by six per cent from 3.019 million to 3.199 million.
However, it declined by 19 per cent in 2018 from 3.39 million to 2.738 million.
“Governors attributed the decline to the adoption of the competency based curriculum and redundancy of the Baby Class, Nursery and Pre-Unit systems,” the report written last month says.
Consistent in all counties
The reduction is consistent in all counties, a situation attributed to an inadequate number of ECDE centres, teachers and caregivers, teaching and play materials and low morale of staff due to poor remuneration.
There were 80,315 learners in Kilifi in 2016 but the figure had fallen to 23,166 in 2019, Kakamega’s learners had reduced from 100,918 to 59,763, while Kitui had 46,532 pupils in the centres in 2019, down from 84,665 in 2016.
Due to the heavy investments, the number of ECDE centres has increased by 14.5 per cent since 2013, from 24,767 to 28,383 in 2019.
“This is attributed to Ministry of Education guidelines that pre-primary school should be established within a two kilometre radius of residential areas and in vicinity of primary schools,” reads the report.
Nonetheless, some counties have seen a decrease in the number of centres. They include Nyeri, whose centres decreased from 448 to 314, Homa Bay (997 to 881) and Trans Nzoia from 376 to 229.
Private ECDE centres
The decrease is blamed on the rise in the number of private ECDE centres, which attract many learners.
The centres increased by 486, 429 and 402 in Turkana, Murang’a and Samburu counties respectively.
The report reveals that despite the Basic Education Act providing for outdoor playing facilities and equipment, many established ECDE centres lack toilets, water, wash places, playgrounds, teaching and learning resources and play materials.
Others do not have proper furniture and kit for special needs children.
The number of teachers has declined by 30 per cent from 68,823 in 2016 to 52,780 in 2019.
The fall in teacher hiring is attributed to county governments advancing towards implementing the scheme of service launched in 2018.
Recruitment of teachers is done by the devolved governments through County Public Service Boards from a pool of instructors registered by the Teachers Service Commission. BY DAILY NATION