The County Government of Migori has set aside Sh77 million from its Sh10 billion net budget for the financial year 2023/24 to boost Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE).
The county through the Department of Education will use the multimillion shillings in putting up a total of 140 classrooms in several schools across the county.
The initiative which aims at better learning conditions for pre-primary learners marks a historic mile for Education in the County.
Speaking at Ragana Primary School to mark the end of the project that has been going on for a week, Governor Ochilo Ayacko said that his administration is committed to providing better learning conditions for the pupils.
“We are committed as an administration, to ensure that learners get access to better learning facilities because education is the only equalizer for every child,” said Ayacko.
He said the ongoing construction of the ECDE classrooms upon its completion is expected to eradicate the challenges facing young learners such as harsh weather conditions.
The governor noted that learning in the pre-primary section is faced with challenges including inadequate classrooms which forces learners to secure tree shades for learning, exposing them to risks of bad weather and diseases.
With devolution which left the Pre-Primary section under the County Government’s jurisdiction, which further restrains the County funds, Governor Ochilo said that he is committed to making a difference.
“As an alumnus of this stage of learning, I want to make a difference by ensuring that our children do not go through the same treatment that we went through during our times,’ he added.
So far, 102 ECDE classrooms are already under construction all over the County, fully budgeted for while the other 38 classrooms will commence after the completion of the first batch.
Ayacko said that his main agenda in this program is to ensure that all the public schools in the county will have at least one ECDE classroom at the end of the program.
While at it, Governor Ayacko also beseeched the Members of the County Assembly to support the program which according to him is “people-centred development”.
He added that while the aim is to ensure an equal opportunity for all despite their financial background, the program’s long-term target is to form a good foundation upon which good leadership will thrive.
“My long-term projection of this project is that we will not only have an informed generation but also form a basis for good and uncorrupt leadership for this nation,” he noted.
He referred to instances during the campaign periods where those vying experienced hostile conditions attributing it to being uninformed and backward.
Away from launching the learning stations, the Governor has also promised to ensure that auxiliary services such as textbooks and chairs for learners for the youth are available.
He also donated chairs which were to be distributed equally among the public schools in the County, to keep away the learners from dust as the construction is still on.
KTMN Reporter 
Biko Steve