Mombasa County has recorded a 20 per cent rise in enrolment for Early Childhood Development (ECD) pupils.
The increase recorded in the last five months is cited after Governor Abdulswamad Nassir launched a school feeding programme dubbed "Msosi Skuli."
Mombasa is the first county to roll out free school feeding in public schools.
The programme is driven by a single kitchen constructed by a strategic partner within the Pwani School for the Disabled.
Through this, the County Government working with Food for Education feeds 8,610 learners in 96 ECD centres across all 30 wards, daily.
The meals contain grains and cereals.
Speaking during an inspection tour of Bamburi and Mlaleo ECD Centres on Thursday, Abdulswammad said offering free lunch to schools is a way of encouraging learners.
"Education is a young person's single best chance at changing their life. Through education, you can rise from anywhere to become the greatest of the great," he said.
"My administration promised to empower our future generations with education by providing free lunch which will ensure they can concentrate during the learning day and we delivered."
He noted that his administration has put into place strategic plans to expand the programme to include community schools and schools operating within informal settlements.
This will be achieved by constructing three additional kitchens with the capacity of serving ten thousand meals a day each.
