Pre-primary learners struggle to get quality education as they study in deplorable environment

Learners at Gathima, Pre-primary in Mau Narok study in deplorable environment. [Mercy Kahenda/Standard]

Counties continue to neglect Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) six years after the pre-primary schooling was devolved.

Young pupils continue to learn in deplorable conditions as their teachers work under the mercy of parents for pay.

School & College conducted a tour of some ECDE centres and was met with a picture of a dire situation, characterised by muddy walls, dusty floors and classrooms without doors or windows.

In most of the centres we visited, learners are congested in tiny rooms that lack basic learning materials such as desks, chairs and blackboards.

At Gathima Pre-Primary in Mau Narok, children stand the risk of being electrocuted by the recently installed electricity. Cables were left hanging on the mud-walled classrooms. During the rainy season, the classrooms are submerged, increasing the risk of disaster.

David Njoroge, a teacher, says they have had to remind the learners of dangers of electricity.

“We do not use power at the school on rainy days,” he says.

Despite holding more than 70 pupils per class, the classrooms have no window or door. The room is ever dusty. There is no blackboard and a desk is shared by up to eight learners.

A permanent ECDE classroom meant for young learners has stalled.

Cold classrooms

Each pupil is required to pay a fee of Sh1,000 per term, money that is meant for  teachers’ salary. Majority of the parents cannot raise the money.

The three trained ECDE teachers at the school have not been paid for months. Each teacher is supposed to earn Sh6,000 per month.

At Utalii Primary School in Njoro, the classrooms are too cold for the young learners.

The porous timber walls let in the cold, making children shiver. Most of them have contracted respiratory diseases.

The gaping holes in the classrooms have been covered by cartons. Just as in Gathima Pre-Primary, congestion is a norm at the school. There are 81 pupils.

And like in Gathima, learning is affected by the rains with water sipping in through the holes in the walls.  

“The pupils are always coughing from the dust. During the dry weather, we have to sprinkle water on the floor to eliminate the dust,” says Gladys Wanjiru, a teacher.

Wanjiru is a discouraged teacher -- she goes for months without pay and has to supplement her teaching earnings with casual jobs.

“I wish the government would hear our cry, give us permanent jobs and pay us on time,” she says.

Nakuru County Education Minister Raymond Komen says some pre-primary centres are in deplorable conditions that affect learning.

“It is true that there are pupils learning in a very wanting environment, with most ECDE centres lacking learning materials,” he says.

Mr Komen said there are a total of 937 ECD centres in the county, many of them registered by the Ministry of Education. He said the county has improved infrastructure in at least 600 centres. Besides construction of the classrooms, water storage tanks have also been installed in some ECDE centres. The county has also supplied classrooms with desks and blackboards.

Komen admits that there are no proper structures to run ECDE centres as majority were established by churches and communities due to dire need for education.

More teachers

There are only 350 trained teachers in the county, deployed in various schools.

The teachers are placed on a three-year contract, according to the scheme of service set by the ministry.

“Recruitment of teachers is done in line with terms of service, the 350 are not enough. That is why we have plans of employing more every year,” said the executive.