The Council of Governors (CoG) has clarified that there is currently no agreement between the State and county governments regarding the transfer of the management of early childhood development and education centers (ECDE) to the national government.
This clarification comes in response to Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu’s recent announcement, stating that primary school head teachers would assume control of these centers starting January 2024. If implemented, this move would shift the authority over ECDEs from county governments, where they have been under the jurisdiction since the advent of devolution, to the national government.
In a letter dated December 28 addressed to CS Machogu, CoG Chairperson Anne Waiguru emphasized that ECDEs fall within the purview of counties, and there is no formal agreement to alter this existing arrangement.
“To this date, no such intergovernmental agreement has been entered between the two levels of government,” stated Kirinyaga Governor Waiguru in the letter, as reported by Citizen Digital.
While expressing support for reforms in the education sector, Waiguru maintained that the administration of the centers should continue under the authority of county governments until a formal agreement is reached.
“We are aware of the recommendations of the Presidential working party on education reforms; however, the implementation of the same should strictly adhere to the provisions of Article 187 of the constitution, which outlines the parameters for the transfer of functions and powers between the two levels of government,” she asserted.
