Natembeya on the spot for implementation of ECDE learning, managing county funds

Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya was on Wednesday put on the spot to respond to questions revolving the implementation of Early Childhood Education (ECDE) and appropriation of county funds.

Appearing before the Senate Committee for Education, Governor Natembeya was tasked to elucidate on how the county has apportioned funds to provide basic ECDE and provided favourable working conditions for county staff.

Natembeya was grilled to provide the policies he has applied to manage bursary allocations and provide adequate learning infrastructure in the ECDEs, a matter that was cast in doubt.

“We give bursaries to students in secondary schools. Our principals have introduced lunch and this has made it hard for parents to pay. We made a decision to provide lunch fees for needy students,” said Natembeya.

The county’s Senator Allan Chesang questioned Natembeya why a milk supply program to ECDEs had not been effected despite allocating a total of Ksh.70 million for milk supply.

Natembeya said that the supplier’s contract was terminated due to unresolvable challenges and the money was used to contract the new Kenya Co-operative Creameries (New-KCC) for milk supply.

“The person given the contract ran into challenges and so he was not able to do it, we terminated the contract and paid him his 7 million shillings he supplied for milk,” said Natembeya.

“We are engaged with the new KCC so that they can supply the remaining balance of Ksh.63 million.”

Senator Chesang further grilled Natembeya over alleged inoperative insurance covers for county staff, including ECDE teachers.

Chesang argued that the county had allocated funds to cater for their welfare but they have not been accessing services through medical covers.

Natembeya, however, did not furnish the committee with document to verify Chesang’s claims and was requested to provide proof to clear the air on the allegations.

Natembeya said that Trans Nzoia County has 447 ECDE centres and 32 vocational institutions spread across 5 sub-counties.

The annual budget for the development of these institutions, he added, is 397 million for the year 2024/24 down from 423 million in the financial year 2023/24.