Trans Nzoia County Governor, George Natembeya, has announced the much-awaited revival of the Ukombozi School Milk Feeding Programme, a vital initiative aimed at improving the nutrition of young learners in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers. Set to resume in January 2025, the programme, which had previously faced challenges, will now undergo significant reforms to ensure its success.
Originally launched as part of the county’s effort to support early childhood education, the Ukombozi programme has been allocated a budget of Sh70 million for the 2023/24 financial year. However, the initiative encountered setbacks earlier this year due to issues with its original supplier. Despite the program’s potential, it was suspended after only a portion of the allocated funds were utilized. The first supplier was unable to meet the demands of the programme, having only delivered milk worth Sh8.1 million before the contract was terminated. The supplier, who was paid Sh6.7 million, is still awaiting the balance of Sh1.4 million.
In his address, Governor Natembeya explained that the supplier’s inability to fulfill the program’s needs was primarily due to a lack of capacity to meet the extensive demand across the county. Faced with this challenge, the county government decided to retender the contract. This time, the task of distributing milk will be handled by the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (New KCC), a national dairy corporation recognized for its capability in handling large-scale milk distribution.
“The partnership with New KCC will guarantee that the programme is run efficiently and that quality milk is supplied consistently to all ECDE centers across the county,” Natembeya stated. The decision to work with New KCC, he added, was part of a broader strategy to ensure the success of the revitalized programme.
The Ukombozi programme’s suspension earlier this year was also exacerbated by financial constraints. Despite the Sh70 million set aside for the initiative, the county government only managed to utilize Sh8.1 million due to delays in receiving allocated funds from the national exchequer. Furthermore, local revenue collection fell short by over Sh200 million, prompting the county to adjust its budget for the current financial year. Natembeya assured that with the new partnership in place and additional funding strategies, the programme would resume without further financial hitches.
This renewed commitment to the programme is a part of Governor Natembeya’s broader efforts to improve early childhood education and nutrition in Trans Nzoia. The programme’s relaunch is expected to not only provide vital nutrition to the county’s youngest learners but also encourage greater school retention and overall academic success.
The news has been warmly received by residents of Trans Nzoia, especially parents and educators. Hellen Nyaboke, a parent at Chetoto Primary School, emphasized the significance of the milk programme in maintaining the health of students. “We are looking forward to the reintroduction of the milk programme since it was instrumental in keeping learners healthy and promoting school retention,” she said. Many parents see the initiative as a stepping stone toward providing their children with a better start in education.
In addition to the milk programme, Governor Natembeya has been vocal about his administration’s commitment to strengthening the education sector. He recently met with the Senate Committee on Education, which commended his administration for policies that aim to improve infrastructure and services in the county’s education system. Notably, his government has made strides in securing permanent and pensionable contracts for all ECDE teachers, a move hailed as a significant boost for the morale of educators and the quality of education.
“We are working hard to ensure that the Department of Education receives sufficient funding to offer our children the best possible education, whether in our ECDE centers or vocational training institutes,” Natembeya added.
As the programme prepares to relaunch in January, residents of Trans Nzoia are optimistic about its potential impact. With better planning and a reliable milk supplier in New KCC, the Ukombozi programme looks set to make a meaningful contribution to the health and education of the county’s youngest learners, helping them get a stronger, healthier start to their academic journey.
