NGO says lack of political goodwill hampering realisation of ECD goals

A non-profit organisation says there is a need to harness existing capacities and foster political goodwill to address key barriers to service delivery in order to realise the goals of Early Childhood Development  (ECD).

Zizi Afrique Foundation Director of Research Lydia Oyugi noted that over the past decade, Kenya has shown general improvements in ECD performance indicators, with 78% of children aged 24–59 months developing on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being.

Speaking at a forum in Siaya County where she presented comprehensive presentation based on research conducted on political analysis in ECD and school re-entry in four counties in Nyanza region, Oyugi, however, said that limited political goodwill, which manifests in various forms, such as delays in decision-making for fast-tracking ECD-related policies and inadequate budgetary allocation and expenditure have hampered the achievement of ECD programme goals.

“The research aimed to identify key levers for improving service delivery, particularly for children aged 0–3 years, and to document strategic policy and programmatic interventions in Kenya. It focused specifically on how these interventions address child development through Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development. Over the past decade, Kenya has shown general improvements in ECD performance indicators, with 78% of children aged 24–59 months developing on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being,” said Oyugi.

Additionally, the research established that the home and family are the primary sources of support and resources for teenage mothers and their children. To ensure all children reach their full developmental potential, there is a need to harness existing capacities and foster political goodwill to address key barriers to service delivery. This requires coordinated action among state and non-state actors. Furthermore, building a robust evidence base is essential to inform ECD planning and budgeting, particularly by making a compelling political case for investing in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

However, the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancies remains a significant barrier to nurturing care for children aged 0–3 years. Most children of adolescent mothers do not receive adequate responsive caregiving.

In attendance were Siaya County First Lady, Betty Orengo, and County Executive Committee Members Dr Edgar Otumba (Education, Youth Affairs, Gender, and Social Services), Sylvester K’Okoth (Agriculture, Food Security, Livestock, and Blue Economy), Grace Agola (Trade, Enterprise, Cooperatives, and Industrialisation), and Dr Martin K’Onyango (Health and Sanitation).