Stakeholders meeting to deliberate on the performance of the ECD Sector in Turkana pointed out many gaps that need to be fixed to move ECDE to the next level.

Stakeholders took credit for playing host of the 5th National ECD Conference in Lodwar.

Most notable concerns raised by stakeholders include but are not limited to the school’s feeding program and integration of refugee children into the mainstream ECD system.

Chief Officer for Education and Social Protection, Moses Korea said that the review meeting had identified budgetary constraints, incomplete legal frameworks, the need for continuous teacher development, supply of teaching and learning materials as areas that required intervention for improved services to the young learners.

Chief Korea acknowledged receipt of situation reports from specific schools, Ward, and Stub-county Education Officials and said that the reports will be used to guide interventions as he continues to engage partners for joint ventures.

UNICEF, WFP, Save the Children, Diocese of Lodwar, Build Africa, and Turkana Environment Trust made their presentations during the meeting.

Others were the Kenya National Union of Teachers-Turkana, the County Assembly Committee on Education, and the Waldorf Organization.

The meeting also deliberated on the paradigm shift from the supply of food commodities for school feeding programs to cash transfers, ICT as a tool for monitoring and reporting, factors hindering ECD uptake, parental engagement, and coordination of interventions in the sector.