- Gender executive Zeinab Abdi urged parents to take their children to school, reminding them education is free.
- “The launch of this policy is a critical step towards laying a firm foundation for the education of our children,” the executive said.
Garissa county Education department has drafted an Early Childhood Development and Education policy to boost enrolment.
Parents in remote areas have been reluctant to take their children to school and instead have them look after livestock.
Gender executive Zeinab Abdi urged parents to take their children to school, reminding them education is free.
Abdi spoke on Wednesday during a validation meeting held at a Garissa hotel.
She said the new guidelines will ensure children are better prepared for primary school education.
“The launch of this policy is a critical step towards laying a firm foundation for the education of our children,” the executive said.
The new policy will offer guidance to pre-primary education- popularly known as nursery education- and supervise service providers throughout the county.
The executive said the new pre-primary education policy would minimise repetition, reduce dropout rates and improve capabilities for the learners.
She said the importance of early childhood education cannot be overestimated.
Abdi who was representing Education executive Ahmednathir Omar said the department of education, with support from WFP has since 2020 been developing a policy to improve quality and service delivery in ECDE.
The policy will be taken for approval by the county executive before it is tabled in the county assembly.
Abdi said the Early Childhood Education in the county will be getting better as standards will be set for both teachers and learning.
In addition to getting terms of service, the county will prioritise providing learning materials, streamlining studies and building infrastructure.
She said the teachers set the learning foundation and must be fully supported adding that the scheme will strengthen the foundation for children in lower classes.
The function was attended by county director for Education Khalif Issak, subcounty director for Education Ali Buthul, deputy director ECD Ahmed Aden.
Others were Education chief officer Mohamed Farah, director of ECD Ahmed Bashir together with members of the county assembly committee on Education, Vocational Training and ICT led by their chairman Aden Abayle - MCA for Balambala.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)