Godhana says Tana River county needs Sh4.1b for ECDE infrastructure

**Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana says ECED centres have a shortage of 461 teachers and do not have enough classrooms.** File, Standard]

Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana has told the Senate that Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) infrastructure in the county requires Sh4.1 billion.

The governor raised concern that only Sh843.9 million was available leaving a funding gap of Sh3.3 billion for ECDE infrastructure.

Godhana who appeared before the Senate Education Committee chaired by Nominated Senator Betty Montet on Tuesday said that the ECED centres have a shortage of 461 teachers and do not have enough classrooms.

The governor regretted that his administration has been devastated by disasters like flooding and drought which have made it difficult for the provision of quality classrooms to the learners among other essential services.

“During the start of devolution, the County Government of Tana River employed volunteers to teach the ECD learners we required 845 teachers but we employed 384 leaving us with a gap of 461 according to the ECD teachers scheme of service which states that 25 learners should be handled by one teacher,” he said.

Godhana noted that in Tana Delta Sub County there are 138 ECDE teachers, Tana River South (134), Tana North (64) and Bangale (48).

The senators took the governor to task for allocating Sh176 million to Vocational Training Centres and Sh90.8 million for the ECDE yet vocational training is under the national government.

Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma sought to know how much money has been spent on school feeding programme in the county and why more funds were allocated to education which is a national government function.

“My administration has allocated Sh25 million for the school feeding programme while to adequately feed the 21,136 learners, the county government requires Sh45.6 million annually,” said Godhana.

The governor told the committee that although he had allocated Sh24.9 million, there is still a gap of Sh20.7 million if the ECD learners are to be fed to be in school and pleaded with the Senate to increase counties allocation.

Godhana said that Tana River county has many challenges and they do not receive adequate funds from the exchequer.

He told senators that he is piloting a programme in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) where the learners are given orange flavoured sweet potatoes that are rich in energy and other nutrients.

“The World Food Programme is funding a programme in which learners are given some orange flavoured sweet potatoes that are given on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are rich in energy than porridge,” said Godhana.

The governor said he will require Sh23 million to provide adequate furniture to the learners, saying some normally migrate with their parents during floods and droughts to safer places.

He told the Senate Committee that the enrollment of the ECDE in Tana River County stands at 21, 136 with 11,122 being boys while the girls are 10,014 for PP1 and PP2 classes respectivley.

Godhana said that under the school feeding programme the Department of Education is providing porridge to ECDE learners daily at a cost of Sh25 million annually.

Tana River Senator Danson opposed the plan to have one kitty for the bursaries, saying if that is adopted the county will be greatly disadvantaged.

“I would like to state that the plan to centralise bursaries for primary schools, secondary schools and universities is ill advised and I will oppose it when it comes up for voting on the floor since it will disadvantage my people,” said Mungatana.

He claimed over the years the Ministry of Education has never given scholarship opportunities to students from Tana River County wondering whether this will be possible if all the bursaries funds are collapsed into one kitty.

Godhana told the Senate that the county will also require Sh55 million to fund educational programmes for its Technical and Vocational Educational Training Institutions.