BY Lorraine Anyango
The Directorate of Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Kisumu County is shifting and turning a keen eye on the quality of services they offer.
This commitment to excellence was formalized as the County Government, through the Department of Education, Technical Training, Innovation and Social Services, inducted a County Quality Assurance Committee and its secretariat in the directorate of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE).
This strategic move makes Kisumu County the first in Kenya in appointing a committee to oversee quality in its ECDs across the county.
While handing them their appointment letters in an event supported by Kmet Kenya , the Executive Committee Member (ECM) Mr. John Awiti said that the department is acting on a visit by auditors from the Council of Governors to find out whether services offered at the ECD level were of quality and the required standards.
Mr. Awiti pointed out that while counties manage VTCs and ECDs, controls for VTCs are given to NITA, but there has been no controlling umbrella for ECDs. “We have only been implementing the ECD framework, but we have not had a body to check on quality,” he stated, adding that this newly appointed committee will help ensure that the services provided are of quality.
The committee will conduct checks and generate reports that will be instrumental in making ECDs better, enabling the department to have data and check on the implementation of all activities at regular times, with reports submitted on a quarterly basis from the sub-county to the county level. The reports will also be used to develop concepts for resource mobilization.
Director of ECD, Ms. Wilkister Oderah, emphasized the foundation of the county’s success, noting that the department’s activities are deeply rooted in the five key areas of Nurturing Care: Good Health, Good Nutrition, Opportunity for Early Learning, Safety and Protection, and Responsive Caregiving. Ms. Oderah proudly stated that Kisumu County is unique as it is the only one with Vocational Training Centres that have a baby care component. This involves scaling up the establishment of Early Childhood and Nurturing Care facilities in all 28 VTCs, primarily targeting teenage mothers, as well as in Market Centres.
The Director highlighted significant progress in the second half of 2025, detailing how the department has been meeting the Nurturing Care framework. In terms of Good Health, the department has been implementing Growth Monitoring and Promotion, Vitamin A Supplementation and deworming, and developed a comprehensive Health and Nutrition register. Under Good Nutrition, the focus has been on the supply of food items for the school feeding program, provision of certified seeds and fertilizers to parents and schools through the AfriFood Link, and the establishment of kitchen gardens.
For Opportunity for Early Learning, the department has finalized the Kisumu County Early Childhood Education and Development Regulation 2024 and completed the construction of an additional 20 pre-primary classrooms.
The county’s commitment to quality is evident in its infrastructure figures: Kisumu has 653 public and 815 private pre-primary centers, alongside 515 childcare facilities. Total student enrolment is 87,711 , managed by 779 staff employed by the County Government of Kisumu, maintaining a current ratio of 1:57.
The department has also focused on Safety and Protection by constructing structures as per required standards, fencing pre-primary schools for security, and providing clean, safe drinking water. Looking ahead, Ms. Oderah confirmed that continuous professional development for teachers and caregivers, enforcing infrastructure standards, and regular quality audits are key mitigation measures against the challenge of low quality in some childcare centers.