By R, KNA
The Department of Education in Busia County has successfully constructed 97 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms in less than three months during Phase One of the 2024/2025 Financial Year, with plans underway to build an additional 50 classrooms in Phase Two of the 2025/2026 Financial Year.
According to the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education, Beatrice Nakhali, the department has also identified specific Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) to produce chairs and tables for equipping the new ECDE classrooms, a move aimed at supporting local institutions while reducing procurement costs.
The success of Busia’s initiative attracted a delegation from Vihiga County led by Education CECM Anne Desma, who visited the county last week for a benchmarking exercise on Direct Community Participation — an approach being used by Busia to fast-track construction of ECDE facilities.
The model involves the formation of Project Management Committees comprising members of the local community for each classroom project. Construction is then undertaken using labor sourced from within the community, enabling completion within approximately 70 days.
Officials noted that if adopted, the approach could provide a major breakthrough for Vihiga County in addressing challenges related to pending bills arising from ECDE classroom construction.
The system requires funds to be deposited directly into Project Management Committee accounts before works begin, enhancing accountability and efficiency in project delivery.
