BY EMMANUEL KIPRUTO
In the heart of Kericho County, within Kipkelion East Constituency, stands Kichawir ECED a reminder of the educational inequalities that still persist in Kenya today. While the world moves deeper into the 21st century, embracing digital learning, artificial intelligence, and modern infrastructure, some of our youngest learners at Kichawir ECED continue to take their lessons under the shade of trees. This is something which we can say we are making our children slaves because of our decisions as citizens and also the leaders whom we elect.
For these children, classrooms are not defined by walls or roofs but by weather conditions. On sunny days, they gather under the trees for lessons. On rainy or windy days, learning becomes impossible. Books get wet, children become cold, and education is pushed aside — not by lack of interest, but by lack of basic facilities.
Teachers, too, bear the burden. They work tirelessly without the tools and environments they deserve, improvising learning spaces and striving to maintain classroom order in open environments and managing to teach will the distractors in the open field. The passion is undeniable, but the conditions are far from acceptable.
Parents in the community have raised concerns for years, expressing frustration that in an era where education is recognized as a fundamental right, their children are still exposed to such challenges. Many fear that without proper classrooms, these children will fall behind, widening the already persistent rural-urban education gap.
We all see other leaders in the entire country trying to ensure that children in their constituencies get proper education by constructing ECEDs that are fully equipped and ready to provide an environment that really support education. Where are we heading as a constituency? Children lack desks and opt to use stones, their health is at risk as thy don’t access healthy facilities like toilets and clean water. We need to wake up and ensure that our children are getting education that they deserve.
Community leaders argue that Kichawir ECED urgently needs modern classrooms, proper sanitation facilities, secure storage for learning materials, and enough desks and chairs to give learners the dignity and comfort they deserve. “We cannot keep saying we value education while our children sit on stones under trees,” one community member lamented.
The situation calls for swift action from county leadership, national education authorities, development partners, and well-wishers. Investment in early childhood education is not only a legal requirement, it is the foundation upon which future academic success is built.
As Kenya continues to champion universal education and development, it is crucial that schools like Kichawir ECED are not left behind. Every child, regardless of geography or background, deserves a safe, supportive, and well-equipped learning environment.
Kichawir’s children have the dreams, the enthusiasm, and the potential. What they need now is the country’s commitment through our leaders.
