Govt Forms Committees to Implement Education Reforms Despite MPs, TSC Opposition
Ezekiel Machogu, the Education Cabinet Secretary, has established four committees to oversee the implementation of the education reforms.
The committees consist of steering, legal, sessional, and departmental technical committees that will spearhead the implementation of PWPER’s recommendations.
Some of the report’s recommendations have already been implemented, including the domiciling of junior secondary in existing primary schools, the implementation of a new financing model in higher education, and the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) recruitment of additional teachers.
Parliamentarians have criticized the implementation of the reform recommendations, stating that they violate constitutional provisions.
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The members also demand that the implementation of the report by the team headed by Raphael Munavu be halted pending approval by the National Assembly.
Omboko Milemba, a member of parliament for Emuhaya, argued that some of the recommendations violated the Teacher Service Commission’s mandate and requested that Speaker Moses Wetang’ula issue directives on the matter.
This action creates the possibility of a conflict between the MPs and President William Ruto, who has been eager to implement the Munavu recommendations to guide the implementation of the competency-based curriculum.
Wetang’ula instructed Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah to obtain a statement from Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, to be presented to the House in two weeks.
However, Machogu noted that the Ministry had established structures to assure the report’s effective implementation.
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In a speech read on his behalf by PS Belio Kipsang, Machogu stated, “We have established structures and committees to ensure effective and efficient implementation.”
He spoke as he presented the report to the Education Committee, which was presided by Tinderet representative Melly.
The steering committee, which will be chaired by the CS, will provide overall oversight of the process, provide policy guidelines and implementation directives for the recommendations, and mobilize resources to support the proposals’ implementation.
In addition, they will approve all policies and laws before they are submitted to the Cabinet, evaluate the progress reports of technical committees, and provide feedback on the implementation process.
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Members of the committee will come from the Executive Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the Council of Governors, and the Attorney General’s Office.
In addition, representatives from the offices of Permanent Secretaries for State Departments of Higher Education and Research and Basic Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will serve on the committee.
Other members will include the Chief Executive Officers of Semi-Autonomous government agencies, such as the TSC and the National Treasury, as well as representatives from PWPER, the Director General of Basic Education, the Director of the University, and the Director of Technical Education.
The Ministry will provide governance responsibilities, policy directives, and implementation instructions.
The committee is charged with approving all cabinet-level policies and legislation, reviewing the technical committee’s progress reports, and providing feedback on the implementation process.
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According to the report, the committee will also be responsible for all legal and policy documents governing education.
According to the PWPER report, the Legal Committee, comprised of officers from the Office of the Deputy President, the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Education, the Teachers Service Commission, and semi-autonomous government agencies, will handle all legal and policy documents governing education in Kenya.
The Sessional Paper Committee, comprised of chief economists and technical officers from respective state departments, will deliver sessional papers, as will the Departmental Technical Committee, which will be presided over by respective PSs.
Access to inclusive quality education at all levels of education requires efficient and effective systems and structures, according to Machogu.
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Dr. Machogu emphasized the critical necessity of enhancing connections among educational institutions by clearly defining their roles to eliminate inefficiencies and boost effectiveness.
He underscored the need to reduce waste within educational establishments.
However, he stated that this could be accomplished with the assistance of other government agencies and that the success of Education Reforms will largely depend on changes to the laws governing education.
Furthermore, he highlighted the government’s dedication to this objective but emphasized the importance of parliamentary support in refining the legal framework regulating education and allocating sufficient funding for its implementation.
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Govt Forms Committees to Implement Education Reforms Despite MPs, TSC Opposition
