The Senate Committee on Education, Chaired by Sen. Betty Montet, today convened a consultative engagement with H.E. Governor James Orengo and the Siaya County Executive Team to review the status of implementation of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) and Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) within the County.

The meeting forms part of the Committee’s ongoing nationwide oversight exercise aimed at assessing the implementation of ECDE and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) functions across all 47 counties.

In her opening remarks, Chairperson Sen. Betty Montet noted that the Committee has so far engaged 33 County Governments, with Siaya County marking the Committee’s 34th consultative session under the ongoing exercise.

Governor Orengo, accompanied by Chief Officer for Education and Training Mr. Richard Ogeda, appraised the Committee on the County’s achievements, existing challenges, and ongoing reforms within the ECDE and TVET sectors.

The Committee was informed that Siaya County currently has 617 public ECDE centres and 263 private ECDE centres, with total enrolment standing at 47,115 learners in public ECDE institutions and 12,407 learners in private centres. The County further reported that it has employed 701 ECDE teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, alongside 511 teachers engaged through Boards of Management (BOMs).

On teacher remuneration, the County indicated that salaries currently range between KSh 25,110 for ECDE Instructors and KSh 70,740 for ECDE Graduate Teachers, depending on job group, cadre, and qualifications. 

The Committee further noted that Siaya County has invested significantly in ECDE support programmes, including school feeding initiatives, infrastructure development, provision of teaching and learning materials, sanitation facilities, and remuneration of ECDE teachers employed on permanent and pensionable terms.

Sen. Betty Montet commended the County Government for its continued investment in educational support services, particularly noting the existence of operational libraries within the County. "I want to commend the County Government for currently having three operational libraries,” she stated.

Members of the Committee particularly lauded Siaya County’s school feeding programme, which currently operates on an annual budget allocation of approximately KSh 90 million. Sen. Nderitu Kinyua observed, “I congratulate Siaya County for sustaining a school feeding programme with a current budget of KSh 90 million annually. It is critical for our ECDE learners to have access to nutritional meals.”

In response, Governor Orengo emphasized the positive impact of the programme on enrolment and learner welfare. “Since the inception of the feeding programme, enrolment of learners has increased significantly,” he stated, adding that adequate nutrition remains critical in ensuring proper growth and learning outcomes among young children. “A wonderful human being’s life may be negatively affected due to stunted growth and lack of nutrition, which is why school feeding programmes remain extremely important,” he added.

The Committee also sought clarification on parental contributions within ECDE centres. Sen. Kinyua noted that despite ECDE being a free devolved function, some parents continue to contribute between KSh 900 and KSh 1,500 towards ECDE-related costs.

Responding to the concern, Governor Orengo acknowledged the pressure facing the County in managing staffing costs while balancing legal wage bill thresholds. “We continue to experience challenges relating to payroll management, particularly the requirement that counties should not exceed 35 percent of their budget on salaries and wages. However, it remains in our plans and interests to continue recruiting more ECDE teachers, especially due to pressure from parents who continue to shoulder some staffing costs,” he explained.

On quality assurance, the County informed the Committee that the Department of Education, Youth Affairs, Gender and Social Services has established a fully operational Quality Assurance Section responsible for overseeing assessments across both public and private ECDE centres. The assessments are conducted jointly with officers from the Ministry of Education to ensure compliance with established standards and continuous improvement in service delivery.

Sen. Prof. Margaret Kamar commended the County on the quality of its inspection reports and sought clarification on oversight measures applied to private institutions. “Your inspection reports are impressive. Are you also involved in assessing private ECDE centres to ensure that they comply with the required standards?” she posed.

The Senator further commended the County’s investment in ECDE infrastructure while raising concerns regarding learning furniture. “I am impressed by the ECDE centres constructed by the County and I look forward to visiting Siaya to confirm the progress. However, I note that the County has not fully adopted the approved ECDE furniture policy, particularly the use of hexagonal tables,” she observed.

Governor Orengo acknowledged the concern, attributing the delayed implementation of some furniture standards to budgetary limitations. “Some of the recommended classroom furniture standards have not yet been fully realised due to financial constraints. However, we have taken note of the recommendations and will endeavour to improve,” he stated.

The Committee also deliberated on issues surrounding Bursary allocations and transition rates to Vocational Training Institutions. Sen. Prof. Kamar sought clarification on Bursary allocations, observing that Bursary functions primarily fall under the National Government. She also raised concerns regarding transition rates from Junior High Schools and Secondary Schools into VTCs and called for accountability mechanisms to track learners joining Vocational Training Institutions.

On inclusion and accessibility, the County informed the Committee that it continues to implement affirmative action measures targeting disadvantaged groups within VTCs, including young mothers, orphans, youth affected by HIV/AIDS, and persons living with disabilities. The County further reported that new VTC infrastructure is being designed to accommodate persons with disabilities through accessible facilities and incorporation of ramps.

The Committee was further informed that programmes offered within Siaya VTCs are market-oriented and examined by institutions such as National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), TVET-CDACC (Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council) and Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC). The County also outlined plans to diversify vocational programmes to align with current market demands and attract more youth into technical training.

However, the County acknowledged challenges affecting implementation of vocational training programmes, including inadequate staffing, shortage of training materials, lack of modern tools and equipment, trainer skill gaps, and inadequate infrastructure.

In her remarks, Chairperson Sen. Betty Montet commended Governor Orengo’s administration for its willingness to engage constructively with the Senate Committee. “The Governor is doing well, and we appreciate when Governors appear before us because the experiences and best practices shared can also be adopted by other counties,” she stated.

In his closing remarks, Governor Orengo reaffirmed the County’s commitment towards strengthening ECDE and Vocational Education within Siaya County. “I look forward to the Senate visiting Siaya County and to continued collaboration aimed at improving the quality of ECDE and VTCs both within the County and across the Nation,” he concluded.

Senator Seki Lenku was also in attendance during the session.