Schoolchildren in all 198 public Early Childhood Development Education Centres across Kirinyaga County are set to enjoy free meals after Members of the County Assembly recommended budgetary allocation to the programme.
In a session chaired by Mutithi Ward MCA and the Deputy Speaker Jinaro Njamumo, members adopted a motion that seeks to factor a total of Sh8 million towards the implementation of the programme in the upcoming budget.
Murinduko Ward MCA Charles Nyamu, who is the Chair of the Committee on Education urged the Executive to appropriate Sh16 million towards digital literacy for learners in ECDE centers run by the county government, saying we need to equip them with digital studies.
“Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) requires children to be exposed to digital learning, and now that we have a partner by the name of EIDU, the Department of Education should allocate Sh16 million towards the programme,” Nyamu said.
Children will also enjoy free meals and experience digital technology. They will also benefit from a total of Sh4.2 million which will go towards the purchase of furniture and learning materials across public ECDE centers in the county.
Needy secondary, tertiary, and university learners are also set to benefit from an enhanced bursary kitty, which is expected to increase from the current Sh95 million to Sh148 million in the next fiscal year.
Vocational training institutes were also not left behind, with members planning to appropriate a total of Sh5 million towards enhancing capacity across all 16 centers.
A cross-section of members were in support of the motion with Nyangati Ward MCA. Kenneth Mwendia noting that the school feeding programme would largely benefit students from needy households.
His contribution was supported by a host of MCAs, including Harrison Kariuki, James Wambu, Eric Muchina, and Grace Kamau, all of whom welcomed the idea, saying it would improve the quality of education.
On implementation, Kariti Ward MCA Jeremiah Makimi urged the executive to ensure that the anticipated projects were fast-tracked and implemented to the letter so that learners enjoy the benefits.
In the meantime, students from Kianyambo Secondary School in Njukiini Ward and Kiburu Junior Secondary in Mukure Ward were privileged to witness debate at the Assembly Chambers, where they learnt legislative procedure among other parliamentary business.
Mukure Ward MCA Thomas Mwangi encouraged the students to work hard, noting that their dreams are valid.
He encouraged them to work hard and emulate the likes of the Speaker of the County Assembly Muteti Murimi, who is a distinguished alumnus of Kiburu Primary School.
The same words of encouragement were said by Njukiini Ward MCA Timothy Kariuki, who noted that education is the only known equalizer, thus the need for students to be focused on their studies.
By David Wandeto
