Concerns Over Low ECDE Enrollment
Local authorities in Garissa are now intensifying efforts to boost school enrollment for early childhood development Education (ECDE) classes, following a recent successful mop-up exercise aimed at ensuring a 100 percent transition for form one and grade 7 students.
Assistant County Commissioner for Garissa Central, Alex Murithi, along with other officials, has expressed concerns over the low enrollment, and in some cases, the absence of enrollments altogether in ECDE classes.
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During a meeting attended by chiefs, assistant chiefs, police, elders, and religious leaders, Murithi conveyed apprehensions regarding the low admissions in ECDE classes, indicating parental reluctance to send their children to school.
Murithi reported that there has been an insufficient number of pupils registered in PP1, PP2, grade 1, and grade 2 within the County.
To address the issue, the ACC, in collaboration with area chiefs and children’s officers, has pledged to conduct barazas in villages, mosques, and churches to encourage parents to enroll their children, emphasizing that the government provides capitation for free primary education.
The sub-county director of education, Ali Buthul, outlined a new approach devised during the recent meeting, emphasizing proactive measures to encourage parental responsibility in ensuring their children attend basic education.
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Buthul stated, “We shall be visiting households and organizing meetings in villages to ensure learners are attending school.”
Mustafa Abdirashid, the deputy speaker in the county assembly, disclosed that discussions have been initiated with the Ministry of Education concerning plans for school integration. The aim is to accommodate both Islamic studies and secular studies to enhance parental interest in enrolling their children in school, particularly those who favor madrasa education.
Abdirashid asserted, “We have engaged with the Ministry of Education to explore the possibility of integrating schools, facilitating easier enrollment for parents in basic education.”
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Concerns Over Low ECDE Enrollment