As the world marks the International Day of the African Child tomorrow, we will be celebrating the achievements made to ensure children on this continent get access to justice and quality education.
The day has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity. It honours those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976. It also raises awareness of the continuing need to improve the education provided to African children.
It also aims at raising awareness of the situation of children in Africa. It encourages people to share something special with a child in Africa
On this day, governments, civil society and international organisations, and other stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges hindering the full realisation of the rights of children in Africa and opportunities.
This day comes at a critical time in Kenya when the country is deep in the electioneering period and politicians are all over the place making all sorts of promises.
There are those promising heaven on earth, especially on the education front. One party has promised schoolgirls free pads while some have promised to give children in day schools hot meals. Another proposes to provide free education from Grade 1 to tertiary level.
It is the season of promises and many more will come our way until August 9, 2022, when we go to the ballot
The Day of the African Child also comes as counties' budgets are discussed and adopted. The outgoing MCAs and governors have set the ball rolling. Those elected on August 9 must expedite the remaining part of the budgeting process.
Electoral promises that centre around education are welcome, but if they are to be met, they have to reflect reality.
Early Childhood Development Education is a devolved function, that is, a function of the county governments. It is fine for political parties to make lofty promises on what they will do about education, but as long as they fail to factor in that this role belongs to the county governments, they will be failing to set a firm foundation for Kenyan children.
According to Theirworld, an international charity that mobilises resources for early childhood education, children who go through quality pre-primary education are more likely to have better outcomes in school and are unlikely to drop out.
But how many of our counties are investing money in ECDE so that our children get the best foundation as they embark on their education journey? Budgets for early learners are lumped together with that of technical and vocational institutions.
Where attempts are made to have ECDE in the budget, the only outstanding part is the construction of classrooms and perhaps an office or ablution block. But this level of education requires much more than physical facilities—brick and mortar.
Integrated ECDE learning centres are perfect opportunities for counties and the nation to provide learning materials and resources, teachers, specific health and nutrition as well as sanitation.
Nutrition is a key component for early learners, especially for parents with low or no income at all. It ensures that children in this category are kept in school as they are assured of a meal. It also frees their parents and guardians to participate in economic activities that improve their lives.
Nutrition goes hand in hand with accessibility. Counties have a responsibility to build nursery schools close to the learners for their safety.
But integrated ECDE learning centres cannot be achieved with the paltry sums of money that counties are injecting into the sector. There is need for long term investment in high-quality ECDE for all children to bridge the gap that currently exists across the country. The push to have counties allocate at least 10 per cent of their budgets to this sector is long overdue.
The public must take keen interest and participate in county matters, including budget planning and allocation of resources, especially those regarding ECDE for the progress of the whole community.
In the Global Partnership of Education summit, which President Uhuru Kenyatta and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson co-hosted last year in London, Kenya committed to develop specific national and county investments to meet the goal of having at least 10 per cent of education budgets go towards ECDE.
The GPE’s new 2021-2025 strategy includes a new commitment for all children to receive at least one year of quality pre-primary education.
This is the 10th year since counties were tasked with overseeing education for early learners. As they plan and allocate resources this year, they need to put early learners at the centre of their budgeting process.
Early childhood education advocate
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