Siaya Begins Sh64 Million Modern ECD Centre in Bar Agulu

⁸A photo of Project Management Committee, contractor, officer from the county government of siaya at the handing over ceremony of ultra modern ECD construction in Bar Agulu Sublocation in S. E. Alego in Siaya County.

A Sh64 million ultra-modern Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre is set to be constructed in Bar Agulu village, Alego Usonga Sub-County, following the handover of the project site to the contractor.

The project, which is the second of its kind in the county, was officially handed over today by the Director of Education, Mr Peter Otieno Odhiambo. It follows the construction of a similar modern ECD centre at Bar Kowino in Bondo Sub-County by Governor James Orengo.

According to Mr Odhiambo, the facility will comprise 12 rooms and will be equipped with water and other basic amenities.

“This is a model ECD that costs Sh64 million. It is a complex building with 12 rooms, and water and other basic amenities will be available,” said Mr Odhiambo.

He added that similar facilities will be constructed in all six sub-counties, with Ugunja expected to be the next beneficiary after the completion of the Alego Usonga project.

“We are building these ultra-modern ECD centres in every sub-county to incorporate the other pathways required under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), including sports, culture and music,” he said.

Alego Usonga Sub-County Engineer Edwin Ouma said the project is expected to take 18 months to complete. He, however, urged the contractor to strictly adhere to the approved Bill of Quantities (BoQ) and involve local residents in the project.

“Our request is that the contractor should comply with the Bill of Quantities, consider local labour and avoid involvement in sexual harassment cases,” said Mr Ouma.

The office of the Member of the County Assembly for the area, Mama Scholastica Masidis Madowo, also welcomed the project. Speaking through her Ward Manager, Mr Bonfas Oudu, the MCA said residents had waited for many years for the facility.

“It is so many years since the people of Bar Agulu have been waiting, but after our MCA successfully tabled this motion before the county government, today it is a dream come true,” said Mr Oudu.

The Chairperson of the Project Management Committee, Mr Apollo Justo, called for cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

“This project is for the wider Alego Usonga Sub-County, so maintaining peace will benefit the larger population of Alego,” said Mr Justo.

Former councillor Mr Makorondo praised the people of Bar Agulu, particularly the village elders, for preserving the land on which the project will be built.

“It has surprised me that in this village we can still have such land preserved for such a project without land grabbers interfering with it,” he said.