Nandi County has stepped up its investment in early childhood education after Governor Stephen Sang launched a school milk programme targeting more than 41,600 Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) learners across the county. The initiative is designed to improve nutrition among young children, encourage school attendance and support learning during the crucial early years of education. The programme is also expected to create a direct link between Nandi's dairy farmers and public ECDE centres by sourcing milk locally.

The programme, launched in September 2026, is part of the Nandi County Government's wider efforts to strengthen ECDE and improve the welfare of children at the foundational level of education. According to reports, approximately 41,600 learners in about 800 ECDE centres are expected to benefit. The milk will be provided twice every week, giving children access to an additional source of nutrition while they are in school. 

Governor Stephen Sang's programme

Governor Stephen Sang has presented the initiative as an investment in the health and education of children rather than simply a school-feeding project. The governor said the programme was informed by concerns about malnutrition among school-going children in the county.

The county government has allocated approximately KSh90 million to the school milk programme, with beneficiaries spread across Nandi's 30 wards. Reports indicate that the programme is intended to operate throughout the year. 

The focus on ECDE is significant because children at this stage are still developing physically and mentally. Providing nutritious food while they are at school can help address some of the challenges faced by families who may struggle to provide adequate meals every day.

Sang has linked the initiative to a broader philosophy that children need support beyond classroom teaching. In remarks reported during the programme's launch, he emphasised the connection between nutrition, dignity and education, arguing that a well-supported child is better positioned to learn and develop. 

More than 41,000 children to benefit

One of the most important aspects of the programme is its scale. More than 41,600 ECDE learners are expected to benefit, making it one of the county's major interventions targeting young children.

The beneficiaries are drawn from public ECDE centres throughout Nandi. Instead of limiting the programme to selected schools or particular areas, the county government has designed it to reach children across the county's wards. 

The distribution of milk twice a week means children will receive regular nutritional supplementation during the school term. While the milk is not intended to replace meals provided at home, it provides an additional source of nutrients that can be particularly important for children from vulnerable households.

The programme therefore has both an educational and social dimension. By helping children receive nutrition at school, the county government hopes to reduce some of the barriers that can affect attendance, concentration and participation in learning.

 *Why milk is important for kindergarten children* 

Milk is widely recognised as a nutritious food because it contains several important nutrients, including protein, calcium and other vitamins and minerals. For growing children, adequate nutrition is important for physical development and healthy growth.

At the ECDE level, children are undergoing rapid physical and cognitive development. Their experiences during these years can influence their readiness for primary school and their ability to participate effectively in classroom activities.

For this reason, the Nandi programme goes beyond simply giving children a drink. It represents an attempt to address nutrition as part of early childhood development.

The county government's own communication about the programme says milk and fruits are expected to help improve children's health, school attendance and cognitive development during their early years. 

 *Supporting school attendance* 

Another expected benefit is improved attendance.

Some children, particularly those from economically disadvantaged households, may attend school without adequate breakfast or may lack sufficient food during the day. Hunger can make it difficult for a child to concentrate on lessons and participate in classroom activities.

By providing milk at school, the county hopes to make ECDE centres more attractive and supportive environments for young learners.

The initiative therefore fits into a broader understanding of school feeding programmes: they can support both education and social protection. When children know that they will receive something nutritious while at school, it may help encourage regular attendance.

However, the success of this objective will depend on consistent implementation, reliable distribution and cooperation between schools, parents and the county government.

Connecting dairy farmers with schools

Another major feature of the Nandi programme is its connection to the county's agricultural economy.

Nandi is an important agricultural county, with dairy farming forming part of the livelihoods of many households. The milk programme is expected to source fresh milk from local cooperative dairy farmers, creating a market for producers while supplying children with locally produced milk. 

This creates what can be described as a farm-to-school model.

Under such a model, farmers produce the milk, cooperatives and other supply structures help aggregate and process it, and the final product reaches children in ECDE centres.

This approach has the potential to benefit two groups at the same time: children receive nutritional support while farmers gain a reliable market.

The county government has previously described its approach as "farm to classroom," linking nutrition programmes with agricultural development. 

 *Boosting the local dairy economy* 

The programme could also contribute to strengthening Nandi's dairy industry.

For dairy farmers, one of the biggest challenges can be finding reliable markets for their produce. A large institutional buyer such as the county government can provide predictable demand.

If properly managed, the programme could therefore create a stable market for local milk producers. Increased demand could encourage farmers to invest in better dairy practices, improve their herds and increase production.

It could also strengthen dairy cooperatives by increasing the amount of milk they collect from farmers.

This is particularly important because Nandi has considerable experience in dairy production. Linking agricultural production with county education programmes provides an opportunity for the county to use its agricultural strengths to address social needs.

 *Wider investment in ECDE* 

The milk initiative is not an isolated programme.

The county government has also been implementing other measures aimed at improving early childhood education. Reports indicate that Governor Sang has overseen an increase in the number of ECDE caregivers and improvements in their employment terms.

According to a report on the milk programme, the number of ECDE caregivers increased from 708 to 1,300, with the county saying the caregivers had been moved to permanent and pensionable terms. Their salaries were also upgraded in line with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission-approved scale. 

This means the county's approach involves both learners and teachers.

A school feeding programme can provide food, but children also need qualified and motivated caregivers, appropriate classrooms and teaching materials. The county therefore appears to be combining nutritional support with investment in the ECDE workforce.

Uniforms and dignity

The milk programme has also been accompanied by other initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of ECDE learners.

Reports indicate that Governor Sang launched a uniform programme alongside the milk initiative. 

School uniforms can have an important social impact. When children from different economic backgrounds attend school wearing similar uniforms, visible differences between families may be reduced.

For young children, this can contribute to a sense of belonging and dignity.

The combination of milk, uniforms, improved teachers' terms and investment in ECDE infrastructure shows an attempt to address several challenges affecting early childhood education simultaneously.

Programme comes amid concerns about malnutrition

The milk initiative has also been linked to concerns raised by research regarding malnutrition among school-going children in Nandi.

Governor Sang described the situation as worrying and said the county needed to respond. 

Malnutrition can affect children's growth and their ability to learn. Addressing nutrition at an early age can therefore be viewed as a long-term investment in human development.

For the county government, the programme provides an opportunity to identify ECDE as an important point for nutritional intervention because children are gathered in schools where food distribution can be organised centrally.

Implementation challenges

Despite the potential benefits, the programme will require careful management.

Milk is a perishable product, meaning transportation, storage and distribution must be properly organised. The county will need to ensure that milk reaches schools safely and on schedule.

Quality control will also be important. The milk supplied to children must meet appropriate food-safety standards. Schools and county officials will need mechanisms for handling storage, distribution and reporting any problems.

Another issue is sustainability. The programme has been allocated KSh90 million, and maintaining it over the long term will require continued budgetary commitment. 

The county will also need to monitor whether the programme is achieving its intended objectives. It will be important to establish whether attendance improves, whether children receive the milk consistently and whether parents and teachers observe improvements in children's participation in school.

 *What the programme means for parents* 

For parents of ECDE learners, the initiative could provide relief by supplementing what children receive at home.

The programme does not remove the responsibility of parents and guardians to provide balanced meals, but it can provide an additional nutritional benefit during school days.

Parents may also benefit indirectly if local dairy farmers receive a stronger market for their milk. Families involved in dairy farming could potentially earn more from increased demand.

This makes the programme relevant not only to education but also to household livelihoods.

 *A model for other counties* 

Nandi's initiative could attract attention from other counties looking for ways to combine education, nutrition and local agriculture.

Several Kenyan counties have introduced or considered school milk and feeding programmes, particularly at the ECDE level. Nandi's approach is notable because it combines the nutritional objective with support for local dairy producers.

If successful, the programme could demonstrate how county governments can use their devolved functions to address children's nutritional needs while supporting local economic activity.