A free school uniforms initiative for Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) learners in Kirinyaga County has received applause from stakeholders who say it is bound to increase school enrollment and retention.

The initiative, launched by Governor Anne Waiguru in April this year, and which also incorporates free learning and teaching materials, rehabilitation and construction of new ECDE centers has been termed as a game changer in the sector.

Parents whose children received uniforms in the beginning of second term, say that apart from helping reduce the burden of buying uniforms and save the money for other necessities, the program has helped them get an extra uniform so as to reduce the ‘wash and wear’ tendencies.

Many parents especially those from less privileged families have their children ‘wash and wear’ wet uniforms because the only pair failed to dry.

Benson Mutinda, a parent of an ECDE pupil at Kutus Primary School, expressed his gratitude to Governor Anne Waiguru for providing free uni
forms and other learning materials, noting that the initiative will boost the children’s self-esteem and reduce the financial burden on parents.

‘When you look at our kids, they look very smart, and they can now focus on education and perform better. Many children who couldn’t afford uniforms and other learning materials can now attend school. This kind of support is enabling more children attend school since they are catered for,’ Mutinda said.

His sentiments were echoed by Grace Wambui, another parent at the ECDE Center who said that they are now happy that their children as well as teachers are well facilitated to learn and teach respectively. She said that such support goes a long way in improving the education standards in the ECDEs.

For teachers, the initiative has also helped increase pupil’s self-esteem and confidence.

‘We have seen some of the pupils who were always dull in class are now jovial, they can raise their hands in class to answer questions. Torn uniforms reduce pupils’ self-esteem and
confidence, resulting into poor academic performance,’ said Grace Nyambura, a teacher at Ngando Primary School.

She noted that many children often lack basic necessities, including food thus providing uniforms and learning materials ensures that all students benefit equally, regardless of their social class.

In an exercise incorporating officials from the county’s Department of Education and Members of County Assembly (MCAs), the County Government is in the second phase of distributing the items to ECDE centers. Apart from uniforms, learners are being issued with uniform sets crayons, books, pencils and plasticine while teachers are getting teaching materials.

The uniform distribution aims at dressing all the 15,000 ECDE learners in 200 centers with a full set of uniform which consists of a pair of shorts, a shirt, a sweater and a pair of socks for boys and a tunic, a blouse, a sweater, and a pair of socks for the girls. They have distinct colors for different constituencies where ECDE learners from Ndia a
nd Mwea will be wearing blue color while Kirinyaga Central and Gichugu will be wearing green colored uniform.

While launching the uniform distribution, Governor Waiguru said that it was part of her elaborate program to reform the county’s ECDE through improved infrastructure, equipment, and service delivery. The program has also seen to construction of new classrooms, renovation of others and equipping them with relevant furniture and teaching aids.

She added that the future plan is to further support ECDE students by distributing shoes in an initiative that will explore the use of animal skins from slaughterhouses for production of shoes at the EPZ Industrial Park in Sagana.

‘We are committed to going beyond just uniforms. Our next step is to ensure that every child receives a pair of shoes. We will work with the Agriculture Department to educate those in the slaughterhouse industry on processing animal skins for shoe production. We want to give each and every child a pair to go to school,’ she noted.

Wh
ile overseeing distribution of the uniforms in Kariti ward, Chief Officer of Education and Public Service, Patrick Mugo, highlighted the significant impact of Governor Waiguru’s program, noting that when completely in place, it will alleviate the financial burden on parents and ensure that children attend school without difficulties.

‘This initiative by Kirinyaga county government addresses the challenges faced by parents and lightens their load regarding uniforms and books, allowing them to focus on other important areas,’ Mugo said.

Jeremiah Makimi, Member of the County Assembly for Kariti Ward, stated that every child in Kirinyaga County has benefited from receiving a full set of uniform, relieving financial burdens and allowing the children to go to school without much worry.

‘In Kariti ward, all the 1,080 PP1 and PP2 learners have received uniforms and other essential learning and teaching materials through this program,’ Makimi said.

He also assured that both the County Executive and the County Asse
mbly are committed and will work together to ensure that this program continues annually.

Geoffrey Mukuha, headteacher at Lower Sagana, expressed his enthusiasm, noting that the promise made by the governor has been fulfilled. He highlighted that, as the best-managed school in Kariti Ward, they had previously struggled with a shortage of learning materials. Now, thanks to the initiative, all students are equipped with the necessary resources.

‘We are incredibly grateful to Kirinyaga county government since, our school has undergone a significant transformation with the provision of new uniforms and essential learning materials. This support ensures that our pupils can focus on their studies without the worry of inadequate resources or attire,’ Mukuha said.

Obadiah Kariuki, the deputy headteacher of Sagana Muslim School, echoed Mukuha’s sentiments, expressing gratitude for the initiative’s impact on alleviating challenges faced by both parents and teachers.

‘We are very grateful today. This initiative repr
esents a significant milestone for teachers and parents of ECDE children. With these challenges addressed, parents can now focus on securing other essential items for their families,’ Kariuki said.

Source: Kenya News Agency