Influence of finance in mainstreaming support for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Nyeri central district, Kenya

Abstract

Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) below 8 year s represent an extremely vulnerable population due to growing levels of poverty, HIV/AIDS and socio-econo mic situation in which they live. This makes Public Nursery Schools (PNS) receive greater attention as places to remedy to decline of family and community based support. Schools provide channels for distribution of essential services suc h as food, healthcare, clothing, education and psyc hosocial support. Though the goal of expanding Early Childhood Education (EC E) opportunity for all children is integrated globa l initiatives such as Education for All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDG), PNS face the burden of fewer resources as the support systems for OVC such as school feeding, health and nutritional care and psychosocial support are linke d to Education Finance. Steady provision of funding level ensures that PNS improve wellbeing and learning outcomes of children through whole school interventions. By contrast, deprivation of i nterventions during the early years results in life long deficiencies and disadvantages. The study sought to find out the inf luence of finance on mainstreaming support for OVC in PNS in Nyeri Central district .The study employed a descriptive survey design with a sample of 19 public nursery sc hools. Data was collected through questionnaires for head teachers, a nursery school teacher for each school and an in terview was conducted with the District Centre for Early Childhood Educat ion (DICECE) programme officer. The study found out that mainstreaming support for OVC was compromised as source of funds were inadequate for OVC support, capacity building for teachers and retention of OVC in schools through, feeding progra mme, subsidized fees and bursary funds. To avert th is crisis, the study recommends that support for OVC should be intensifi ed through increased budgetary allocation and setti ng up funds earmarked for OVC in PNS