Leaders, academics and education stakeholders in Nyanza have called for a common and united approach that will help improve education standards in the region.
The leaders who graced the inaugural Ndhiwa Constituency Education Symposium at the Ndhiwa KMTC Grounds vowed to put together resources and efforts that will see the region assert itself as home to Kenya’s academic giants.
The event was organized and hosted by Ndhiwa MP Martin Peters Owino and attended by Homabay Governor Gladys Wanga, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi,nominated MP John Mbadi and academics among them Johnson Oduk.
Governor Wanga called for unity of purpose and lauded the move to start the education oriented initiative in the region.
“We must establish suitable ways to collaborate in order to improve education standards and outcomes for the benefit of all learners,” she said
Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi said well-coordinated education initiatives will help achieve and boost sustainable development in the region.
The host MP Martin Peters Owino called for the need to make quality education more affordable and accessible if the region has to close the gap between the rich and the poor.
“We have to ensure students from poor families enjoy the benefits of quality education by setting aside more funds and improving school infrastructure without isolating anyone,” he said
Ndhiwa, like many other regions, has seen the transformative power of education unfold over the years.
It boasts of schools that have always posted excellent results among them; Ratanga Boys, Oridi Girls, Mirogi Boys , Obera Boys, and Magina Girls .
Johnson Oduk who is an academic and beneficiary of Education Development Programs in Homabay acknowledges that there is still much work to be done.
“We must continue to invest in education infrastructure, teacher training, and community engagement to ensure that every child in Ndhiwa has access to quality education,”
He noted that historically, education in Ndhiwa has faced numerous hurdles, stemming from a lack of infrastructure, limited resources, and socioeconomic disparities.
Some schools have struggled to provide adequate facilities, with classrooms often overcrowded and lacking essential amenities.
Access to quality education was a luxury, rather than a fundamental right, for many children in the constituency.
He has proposed the need to ensure schools have adequate infrastructure, including classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and sanitation facilities, to create a conducive learning environment.
Another proposal is to increase access to education by building more schools, more so ECD in each region, particularly in remote areas, and providing resources such as textbooks, uniforms, and school meals to disadvantaged students.
“We must also ensure parental involvement in children’s education through initiatives such as parent-teacher associations and community outreach programs, develop inclusive education policies and practices to support students with special needs and disabilities, ensuring they receive appropriate accommodations and support services,” he said
Leaders also called for the need to ensure bursary allocation in Ndhiwa Constituency is accessible to all, with a particular emphasis on providing support to those in need.
The constituency is currently one of the few in the country with a State-of-the-art bookshop called Kalamindi Book Shop which is being developed.
