Aga Khan Foundation to train early childhood teachers in Kwale

Aga Khan Foundation CEO Kevin Moorhead (seated left) and Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya signing an MoU to improve capacity of early childhood programs in the county on October 5, 2016. PHOTO FAROUK MWABEGE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The region will be allocated Sh248 million and a similar percentage will be issued to support projects in Kwale.
  • The county has also introduced a free feeding program for all children to enable them concentrate in class.

The Aga Khan Foundation has signed an agreement with the Kwale County government to train early childhood teachers.

The agreement will see the foundation support Early Child Development Education (ECDE) programmes in the county.

The foundation and the county will have shared commitment to the children by providing learning opportunities.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Kwale Cultural Centre on Wednesday, Aga Khan Foundation Chief Executive Officer for East Africa Kevin Moorhead said the partnership will benefit more than 100,000 schoolchildren from across the county.

He said the foundation will train teachers in early childhood development and support school management committees and construct classrooms.

“Today we are not only celebrating a partnership between two organisations but more importantly we are celebrating the future of our children,” he said.

Mr Moorhead lauded the Kwale County government for its efforts to improve education standards in schools.

“I would like to congratulate the governor and his team because I have not seen a county which takes the social development agenda so seriously and has done so much,” he said.

FEEDING PROGRAMME

Aga Khan Foundation Director for Coast Region Athrash Mohammed said the region has an annual budget of Sh98 million and spends 45 per cent of it in projects in Kwale.

He added that in the next financial year, the region will be allocated Sh248 million and a similar percentage will be issued to support projects in Kwale.

“We have given priority to Kwale County because of the good collaboration we are getting from the governor and his deputy compared to other counties,” he said.

Governor Salim Mvurya appreciated the support and partnership that Aga Khan Development Network has provided to improve education in the county.

He called upon other development partners to chip in and extend their services to primary schools in order to support the transition from ECDE centres to primary school.

“After studying in well-furnished ECDEs, children find it so hard to transit to primary because of poor infrastructure. We are calling on well-wishers to help us in this,” he said.

The county has also introduced a free feeding programme for all children to enable them concentrate in class.