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Counties, Senators push back against ECDE–Primary diploma merger
Learners in class with their teacher at Mbariki ECDE center in Nyanduma Ward, Lari Sub-County in Kiambu County.
What you need to know:
- Governors and education stakeholders warn that the move could leave thousands of students stranded.
- The Council of Governors says counties were not consulted despite ECDE being a devolved function.
The government is facing mounting pressure from counties, senators and education stakeholders to withdraw a directive merging diploma programmes for early childhood and primary teacher education, amid warnings that the move could disrupt devolved education functions and undermine gains made in early learning.
The directive, communicated through a circular dated January 19, 2026, proposes the consolidation of the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) and the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) into a single programme—Diploma in Teacher Education Pre-Primary and Primary (DTE PP & P).
Governors and education stakeholders have described the move as draconian, warning that it could leave thousands of students currently undertaking ECDE diploma courses stranded, while straining county budgets and weakening early childhood education.
The Council of Governors (CoG) says counties were not consulted despite ECDE being a devolved function, raising concerns that the directive undermines the principles of devolution.
CoG Education Committee chairperson and Kericho Governor Dr Erick Mutai said the abrupt policy shift risks reversing progress made in early childhood education and disrupting learners already in training.
"ECDE is a devolved function and there must be proper public participation and stakeholders engagement, before such a directive is implemented. Counties who run ECDE centres were not consulted on the proposed merger. The circular is coming when we have teachers in class What happens to those who have been trained? What happens to those we have employed ?" posed Dr Mutai.
"The directive was introduced abruptly, creating uncertainty for students already enrolled in ECDE programmes and institutions that had admitted trainees under existing guidelines," added Dr Mutai.
Dr Mutai warned that the merger presents policy, professional and implementation gaps that could compromise the integrity of early childhood teacher education, adding that counties may be forced to shoulder additional costs.
The CoG said it wants DECTE retained as a standalone, specialised qualification aligned with both county and national expectations, warning that sudden changes at foundational levels of education could cause long-term disruptions.
Long-term disruptions
“We feel there will be a disruption of the long-established career growth for ECDE professionals, who have enjoyed a systematic growth from Diploma to post-graduate levels,” said Dr Mutai.
The CoG has warned that sudden policy changes at foundational levels of education, risk causing long-term disruptions. The governors have threatened to move to court to block the directive if it is not withdrawn.
Senators have also raised constitutional concerns, insisting the directive must undergo public participation and stakeholder consultation before implementation.
During a meeting convened on Tuesday by the Senate Standing Committee on Education at Bunge Towers, lawmakers warned that the move could undermine devolution.
"The issue goes beyond administration and touches on constitutional safeguards. ECDE is a devolved function and any policy change affecting counties must be subjected to public participation and stakeholder consultation The Senate will defend devolution and the integrity of the education system," Senator Betty Montet, the committee chairperson stated during the meeting.
Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma said the matter raises serious constitutional questions and should not be treated as a routine administrative change.
“Any policy shift affecting ECDE must be subjected to public participation and stakeholder consultation,” she said.
Senators further warned that merging ECDE with primary education could dilute professional standards and weaken the foundation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
"Early Childhood Education is a specialised field requiring distinct training approaches. Merging ECDE with primary education could weaken the foundation of the Competency-Based Curriculum," warned Kajiado Senator Seki Lenku Ole Kanar, also a member of the committee.
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua urged the committee to examine the impact of the directive on county workforce planning and service delivery, noting that decisions affecting devolved functions must be informed by data and expert advice.
Senators want the circular withdrawn or suspended until comprehensive consultations are conducted.
Education stakeholders have echoed similar concerns, warning that the merger threatens clear academic and professional pathways for ECDE teachers.
Early Childhood Professional Association of Kenya (ECPAK) chairperson Dr John Tera Ng’asike said the directive contravenes the Constitution and appears aimed at abolishing specialised ECDE teacher training.
He warned that ECDE teachers risk graduating without adequate subject content and pedagogical skills, which could negatively affect learning outcomes.
Major education reforms
Kenya Early Childhood Education Private Training Institutions Association national chairperson James Selei said pre-primary and primary education serve distinct purposes in a child’s educational journey.
“We are petitioning the ministry to withdraw the circular immediately. The merger appears to abolish ECDE training and suggests that PP1, PP2 and primary learners would be taught using the same curriculum,” he said.
University of Turkana don Prof Tom Nyamache argued that any major education reforms should be implemented gradually, with a transition period of at least five years.
“What is the hurry? ECDE teaching methods differ significantly from primary school methods, and any merger should be approached carefully,” he said.
However, the Ministry of Education has defended the move, saying it is implementing a presidential directive based on recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok said the standalone ECDE diploma was abolished in 2023, accusing some private colleges of continuing to offer the course fraudulently.
“The circular was timely,” Prof Bitok said during a television interview.
