Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi assents to the Kiambu county Early Childhood Development Education Act on June 8, 2026/ALICE WAITHERAKiambu county has moved to protect its gains in early childhood
education after Governor Kimani Wamatangi assented to the Kiambu County Early
Childhood Development Education Act.
The
new law guarantees sustained funding, governance and management of pre-primary
education programmes across the county.
The legislation establishes a legal framework aimed at safeguarding reforms that have transformed ECDE centres in recent years and ensuring they are not reversed by future administrations.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Wamatangi described the Act as a major milestone in the county's education agenda.
The governor said that anchoring the reforms in law would guarantee continuity of programmes beyond the tenure of the current administration while ensuring every child continues to access quality foundational learning opportunities.
“The
Act secures the progress we have made in improving learning facilities,
strengthening feeding programmes, providing free learning materials and
enhancing human resource management within the ECDE sector,” Wamatangi said.
The enactment comes after years of heavy
investment by the county government in upgrading ECDE infrastructure and
expanding access to early childhood education.
Since taking office, Wamatangi’s administration
has embarked on an ambitious programme to modernise nursery schools across all
the county's wards.
The
programme has seen the construction of hundreds of model ECDE centres equipped
with modern classrooms, age-appropriate furniture, sanitation facilities, play
areas and administrative offices.
The programme targets all 524 public ECDE centres, with more than 500 modern classroom units either completed or under construction.
The county has also rolled out free learning materials for learners enrolled in public ECDE centres, including the distribution of exercise books, pencils, teaching aids and classroom furniture as part of efforts to make nursery education accessible and affordable for families.
In addition, it has strengthened ECDE feeding programmes aimed at improving nutrition and learner retention with children provided with porridge, milk and eggs.
The new law seeks to consolidate these achievements by making them part of the county's legal and policy framework.
Among
its key provisions is the requirement for continued budgetary support for ECDE
programmes, ensuring that funding for infrastructure, learning materials,
feeding initiatives and operational expenses remains a priority during county
budget allocations.
The legislation further introduces a structured capitation model under which funding will follow each learner enrolled in county ECDE centres.
The approach is expected to provide predictable financing for schools while supporting the procurement of educational materials and delivery of essential services.
“Many of us grew up under difficult circumstances. Some children attended school without proper classrooms, while others lacked even the most basic educational materials.
“We wanted to ensure future generations have a stronger foundation and better opportunities to succeed,” Koina said.
He added that the Act addresses equity concerns by requiring fair distribution of resources across all learning centres regardless of location.
“No child should be disadvantaged because of where they live. This law ensures every learner receives equal support and access to quality early childhood education.”
Education stakeholders have long argued that investment in early childhood education yields significant long-term benefits by strengthening literacy, numeracy and social development during a child's formative years.
The Act aligns with the county's broader ECDE policy, which seeks to promote equitable, inclusive and quality early learning opportunities while strengthening governance and accountability in the management of nursery schools.
