Embu: Embu County Government will from January 2025 initiate a school feeding programme targeting all Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) learners. For the start, the learners will be given porridge for breakfast daily at the devolved unit’s projects which will escalate to full meals in future in all schools later according to Governor Cecily Mbarire. She said the move would aid in enhancing retention levels in school as well as boost the learners’ concentration to improve performance. ‘We are introducing this ‘uji programme’ to improve learners’ nutrition and well-being as part of our commitment to enhancing the quality of ECDE,’ she said.

According to Kenya News Agency, speaking on Thursday when she presided over the graduation ceremony of over 400 PP2 learners from Mbeti South Ward who will be transitioning to grade one in January 2025, Governor Mbarire said the initiative would not only reduce absenteeism but also boost enrollment. ‘This is a programme that will also give some of the young ones
from poverty vulnerable families a lifeline,’ she said. She said they have already identified central kitchens from where the porridge would be prepared and then delivered to schools. She also outlined plans to put up more modern ECDE classrooms across the county and called on Ward Representatives to also assist her in the initiative through their Ward Funds. ‘If each MCA took one or two classrooms per year, we will have done very many by the time we get to 2027,’ she said.

County ECDE Chief Officer Pits Nguru called on MCAs to allocate funds for the programme in the upcoming supplementary budget to enable them undertake the programme successfully. Mbeti South Ward MCA Murithi Kiura underscored the need for all stakeholders to support education of children to enable them develop skills and knowledge that would benefit them throughout their lives.