Governors oppose proposed changes to ECDE management

They said the recommendations undermine the basic structure of the Constitution of Kenya.

In Summary

• The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms in its report had among others recommended that ECDE centres be managed by one head of the institution.

• The CoG said it has also withdrawn its participation in any process that seeks to legislate the recommendations.

Kericho Governor Erick Mutai during a past event.
Kericho Governor Erick Mutai during a past event.
Image: COURTESY

The Council of Governors (CoG) has rejected the recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms report on Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE).

The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms in its report had among others recommended that ECDE centres be managed by one head of institution.

The report also recommended an amendment to the Basic Education Act to allow County Commissioners to head the County Education Board.

It further proposes that the Ministry of Education, Teachers Service Commission and the CoG develop an intergovernmental agreement for hiring and remuneration of pre-primary teachers.

According to the governors, the recommendations undermine the basic structure of the Constitution of Kenya.

"We note that there is no accountability framework provided for the proposed Head of Institutions to the Counties regarding the management of Pre-Primary schools," the CoG said.

The CoG in a statement by the chairperson of the Education Committee Eric Mutai said because of this, it has also withdrawn its participation in any process that seeks to legislate the recommendations.

"The Council of Governors categorically does not agree and rejects the recommendations in entirety to the extent that they undermine the basic structure and framework of the constitution," Mutai said on Wednesday.

The governors said the withdrawal includes one that was set for January 16, which had been called by the Inter-Governmental Relations Technical Committee.

The CoG insisted that County Governments will continue to manage ECDEs as constitutionally assigned to them.

"The County Governments will continue to manage both the institutions and human resources for the constitutionally assigned functions in Education.

"A convening of any devolved sector forum will strictly be done between the two levels of government and no other entity."

The governors said they have invested a lot of resources without any help from the National Government, and therefore reject the recommendations.


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