By Yoga David.
Photos by Calvin Randy Ogonji
A three-day consultative meeting bringing together County Executives for Education has kicked off in Kisumu, with the goal of reviewing and refining Kenya’s proposed Model School Feeding Policy.
The meeting is being held at Acacia Hotel, convened by the Council of Governors (CoG), in partnership with Food for Education and is expected to run from 17th to 19th June.
It brings together counties education CECMs, education experts, and development partners to align on a unified, sustainable framework that ensures every child in Kenya can access a nutritious meal at school.
Kericho Governor Dr. Erick Mutai, Chair of the Council of Governors, Education Committee, officially opened the consultative meeting by calling on counties to treat school feeding not as a luxury but as a right and a tool for equity.
“I encourage you all to ensure that the Model School Feeding Policy is anchored in the realities of Counties, implementation lessons and in the aspirations of our communities.” said Dr Mutai
He added “Only then can we have a model that is practical, inclusive, and scalable across all Counties”
Kisumu County CECM for Education, Mr. John Awiti, representing Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of anchoring the policy in real county experiences.
Dr. Awiti noted that Kisumu’s unique urban-rural structure presents a wide range of education challenges. from urban slum issues to flood-prone rural zones near the lake.
He emphasized that these overlapping realities make Kisumu a useful case study for developing policies that can respond to both urban and rural education needs.
“Kisumu has both the issues of rural setups and the challenges of urban spaces. We’re glad that the Council of Governors has taken note of these dynamics as we craft solutions together,”
Awiti stressed the urgency of fully integrating early childhood education and nutrition in county priorities.
He also praised the inclusion of ECDE in current policy frameworks and called on leaders to take responsibility for building strong learning foundations.
