Garissa leaders shift focus to ECDE as grade 7, Form 1 enrolments improve

Authorities in Garissa have shifted focus on school early childhood development Education enrolment.

This came weeks after a successful drive to ensure 100 per cent transition to Form 1 and Grade 7.

Garissa Central assistant county commissioner Alex Murithi said concerns have been raised that there has been low enrolment or no enrolment at all in some cases in ECDE in the county.

He said many ECDE classrooms in the area have few pupils.

Murithi spoke during a meeting that brought together chiefs, assistant chiefs, police, elders and religious leaders.

“We have registered an insufficient number of pupils in PP1, PP2, Grade 1 and Grade 2 in the county,” he said.

Murithi said assistant county commissioners, chiefs and children’s officers will hold barazas in villages, mosques and churches to urge parents to take their children to school.

He said this is among the efforts they will put in place to boost school enrolment in Garissa, since the government has provided capitation for free primary education.

Subcounty director of education Ali Buthul said during a recent meeting, they came up with a new approach to urge parents to take their children to school.

“We shall be going door-to-door, talking to parents and we will also hold meetings in the villages to make sure all children go to school,” he said.

County assembly deputy speaker Mustafa Abdirashid said the county has reached out to the Ministry of Education on plans of school integration.

He said they want to integrate Islamic and secular studies to drive interest of parents to enrol their children in school, as they believe more in madrasa education.

“We have spoken to the Ministry of Education to consider the integration of schools so that parents can easily enrol their children for basic education,” Abdirashid said.

Last year, the Garissa government said it would employ 300 ECDE teachers, renovate existing classrooms and build new ones to boost early education in the county.

Governor Nathif Jama said the move will add value to the ECDE education and create suitable learning environment for the pupils.

“My administration remains committed to addressing the plight of the teachers, stabilising early learning and setting a strong base for education of our children,” the governor had said.