Ministry of Education Launches Taskforce to Drive Early Learning Reform.
Kenya has inaugurated a multi-stakeholder Technical Working Group (TWG) to lead the creation of its first National Guidelines on Foundational Learning.
The initiative marks a significant step in the country’s efforts to improve the quality and equity of early childhood education. The launch event was held at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in Nairobi.
This development follows a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Education, Education Development Trust (EDT), Learning Generation Initiative (LGI), and Zizi Afrique.
The TWG aims to coordinate and drive early years education reforms by focusing on critical issues such as teacher training, access to learning materials, and the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE).
The TWG comprises stakeholders from the Ministry of Education, Council of Governors (CoG), county governments, and various education-focused bodies and development partners.
Its membership includes representatives from teacher unions, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association, the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), KICD, the ECD Network of Kenya, METIS, and others. It will be jointly chaired by the Ministry of Education and the CoG.
The team’s role will be central to enhancing the quality of Early Childhood Education (ECE) across the country. Their work includes reviewing existing education frameworks, identifying best practices, facilitating consultations, and raising public awareness about the forthcoming guidelines.
Addressing Foundational Learning Gaps
Despite increased school enrolment rates, particularly in pre-primary education, Kenya continues to face challenges in the quality of learning outcomes. A national assessment conducted by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) in 2020 revealed that over 85 percent of Grade 3 pupils lacked foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
This alarming trend prompted the creation of the TWG, whose mission aligns with the 2023 Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) recommendations. The group will tackle urgent issues in foundational learning to prevent a deeper education crisis.
According to Mr. Elyas Abdi, Director General at the Ministry of Education, investing in early education is essential for academic and professional success later in life. He explained that the new guidelines would ensure inclusivity and that every child in Kenya receives a strong educational foundation.
The National Guidelines initiative is also supported by Kenya’s National Education Sector Strategic Plan (2023–2027), which targets the enhancement of literacy and numeracy during the formative years of schooling.
The Education Development Trust (EDT), through the UK-funded INSPIRED programme, is providing technical assistance for these reforms.
This includes training public ECE teachers, school leaders, and county education officers in counties such as Wajir and Mandera, as well as distributing learning materials. The programme’s goal is to strengthen foundational skills for more than 200,000 children, especially in Kenya’s marginalised Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
Elizabeth Ogott, EDT’s Sub-Saharan Africa Director, praised the Ministry of Education for placing foundational learning at the centre of its education reform strategy. She highlighted the pressing need to resolve the ongoing learning crisis and emphasized EDT’s commitment to co-creating sustainable and evidence-based solutions.
The launch also featured a high-level panel of international and local education leaders. Mayor Ivo Gomes from Sobral, Brazil, shared experiences from his city’s successful education reforms.
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He advocated for data-driven approaches to improve early learning outcomes. Meanwhile, Global Teacher Prize winner Peter Tabichi underlined the importance of involving teachers in both the development and execution of education policies. He asserted that teachers’ lived experiences are vital sources of knowledge and insight.
As the TWG moves forward, its work will be instrumental in formulating actionable steps to deliver high-quality early childhood education across Kenya. The National Guidelines will serve as a cornerstone for long-term educational equity, particularly benefiting children from underserved communities.
Ministry of Education Launches Taskforce to Drive Early Learning Reform
