Ruto Education Manifesto. What Kenya Kwanza Promised

After he was declared the president-elect by IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati all now shifts to what William Ruto promised in his manifesto.

Will he deliver the radical reforms to revolutionize the education sector, or will it fail like many other promises he made in the former Jubilee manifesto?

Education that is equitable

William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua’s focus will be on improving the capacity of day secondary schools to ensure that many people in the country have access to affordable and high-quality education.

The Kenya Kwanza coalition principals promised to introduce a special tariff for utilities for learning institutions in order to further reduce the cost of education.

“Education is the ultimate means of engendering an equitable society.“ 

Equitable education ensures that every child has a chance to fulfill their potential and rise to the highest level of accomplishment, irrespective of their social background.

"Conversely, an inequitable education system, which favors those from socially and economically advantaged backgrounds, is the surest way of maintaining or developing a class society,” said part of the manifesto.

“The Kenya Kwanza government commits to addressing the inequities in our education system so as to level the playing field for all children, irrespective of their background." 

"We further commit to equitable universal basic education, defined as 12 years of schooling,” said Ruto.

Ruto and his team promised to double the amount of money allocated to the program, immediately increase the number of beneficiaries from two million to four million, and provide conditional grants to county governments to increase the number to eight million.

The president-elect is also interested in establishing a national fund to ensure that students across the country have equitable access to bursaries, with the Kenya Kwanza alliance intending to cast a wider net to include learners with disabilities.

Teacher Shortage and Delocolisation

Ruto had promised policy changes to address the current teacher shortage.

On June 23, 2022, at the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA), Ruto promised to abolish the teacher delocalization policy and replace it with one that values teachers as a national resource.

Kenya Kwanza promised to provide incentives to teachers, such as facilitating in-service training for teachers and restructuring the de-localization policy to include special allowances for teachers working away from home.

Kenya Kwanza proposed an increase in funding for institutions of higher learning, which, according to Deputy President William Ruto, are burdened by a massive debt burden.

Ruto’s administration also intends to establish a National Skill and Funding Council to coordinate scholarship issuance.

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Ruto said he will build fully equipped technical training and vocational education training institutions (TVET) in the remaining 52 constituencies within his first two years in office.

In addition, Ruto hopes to establish a one-year paid national internship program for all graduates in order to prepare them for the job market.

The Kenya Kwanza administration has stated that it will review the exam-based system of academic progression, which has "excluded millions of learners” based on basic education level exit exams and will implement alternative entry criteria.

Ruto has committed to increasing R&D funding from 0.8% to 2% of GDP.

Ruto Education Manifesto. What Kenya Kwanza Promised

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What Ruto Promised Teachers Before Election

Ruto promised to hire all unemployed teachers within two years if elected president two months before the election.

The Teachers’ Service Commission has yet to hire approximately 300,000 teachers (TSC).

He promised to hire half of them in the first year and the remaining half the following year.

“For each phase, we will hire 58,000 teachers beginning next year when we form the government to close the gap,” the President-elect stated.

Kenya Kwanza promised to give teachers incentives such as facilitating in-service training and restructuring the de-localization policy to include special allowances for teachers working away from home.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has already expressed its support for President-elect William Ruto, saying it looks forward to working with his administration following his election victory in August.

Following Ruto’s acceptance speech on Monday, KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu said in a message published in local dailies on Thursday that the union was encouraged and optimistic about the prospects for the education sector.

“Pursuit of political leadership calls for intensive persuasion to the population towards winning their support to our dreams positions; this you have done and won the hearts of more Kenyans than your competitors,” said Oyuu in the statement.

“Your reconciliatory tone in your acceptance and maiden speech after you were cleared has even encouraged us more after you affirmed that it was just a competition and not enmity.”

His words echo those of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), which pledged its support for the president-elect earlier this week.

Oyuu went on to urge the president-elect to address some of the issues confronting the education and business sectors once he takes over State House from outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta.

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“As the Kenyan teachers, we look forward to seeing a united nation in your hands and a stronger administration that will prioritise education, the future of our children and proper management of teacher’s labour matters,” said Oyuu.

“As a trade union with an established, comprehensive and recognizable leadership structure, we have always asserted and reiterated our support for the government of the day; we therefore promise you total support as the president-elect.”

What Ruto Promised Teachers Before Election

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Changes Ruto Gov’t Intends To Make In The Education Sector.

After his main opponent Raila Odinga vowed to go to the Supreme Court, William Ruto could be in charge of Africa’s sixth richest economy if his victory in the August 9 polls is upheld.

Millions of Kenyans are expecting him to deliver after crisscrossing the country rallying masses behind his hustler narrative with endless and ambitious promises.

While unveiling his manifesto, he made a slew of populist promises, many of which he promised would be fulfilled within his first 100 days in office.

Teachersupdates.co.ke recalls a few pledges and changes Ruto Gov’t Intends To Make In The Education Sector.

Within six (6) months of the formation of Ruto’s government, an Education and Employment Committee will be formed.

The committee will ensure that students from historically marginalized areas have a 100% transition from institutions of higher learning to employment in both formal and informal employment sectors.

By 2027, the UDA government hopes to absorb all graduates from historically marginalized areas into the labor force.

This policy adheres to the Kenya Kwanza philosophy of “farasi angoje punda.” This policy is based on the belief that some regions have lagged economically as a result of education being concentrated in a few areas.

For example, the majority of the country’s best schools are concentrated in and around Nairobi and Central Kenya.

“Under our Kenya Kwanza government, this discriminatory state of affairs will change.” Reads the manifesto.

Ruto promised to award higher bursaries to marginalized areas while reducing bursaries to already developed and educated areas.

He also promised to prioritize the construction of new schools and the transfer of skilled human resources from well-educated areas to under-educated areas.

The Education and Employment Committee will also oversee the transition of all private-owned universities, colleges, and polytechnics to public ownership and oversight by the Ministry of Education.

This will be done to streamline education materials and standardize testing across the board so that some graduates do not have an unfair advantage over those who attend public schools.

The Education and Employment Committee will also conduct a survey of workers and employment in Kenya across public and private institutions, reporting on sectors with over-representation and those with under-representation.

A similar survey will be conducted in higher education institutions.

“Education programs with surplus supply of students (in excess of industry needs) will be culled with lower performing students being redistributed to programs with deficient supply.”

Ruto Education Manifesto. What Kenya Kwanza Promised

Those education programs that have no discernible demand in the labor market will be discontinued in order to avoid wasting the time of students who will be left with unusable qualifications.

The manifesto states that there is no reason for students to waste their parents’ money on unmarketable courses. 

A “hustler government” will place a strong emphasis on job-training programs.

In addition to higher education reforms, we will implement mandatory conscription of all Kenyans aged 18–20 into the National Youth Service within the first twenty-four (24) months of government formation.

The NYS is an important institution in instilling discipline and the spirit of public service in Kenya’s youth, and its temporary disbandment and partial re-introduction represented a significant break in Kenya’s nation-building and moral reinforcement.

In the first phase of recruitment, all Kenyans between the ages of 18 and 20 will be required to serve a two-year mandatory enlistment in major development projects such as construction, civil relief intervention, urbanization and beautification, and public infrastructure expansion.

This includes the Establishment of 20,000 acres of National Youth Service National
barracks and training facilities in Machakos County.

All tertiary education level leavers (form 4 leavers) will be transitioned into NYS for two years of mandatory service before being placed in higher learning institutions or further employment in the second phase of enlistment.

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UDA govt also seeks to establish Rift Valley National University, a public University in Kericho County, to increase access to tertiary education in Kenya in all major academic disciplines.

Meru University of Science and Technology will be converted to the National Polytechnic of Kenya (STEM disciplines) to absorb Form Four leavers for applicable studies

Kenyans who do not meet the entry requirements for higher education will be absorbed into the National Police Service.

Ruto’s gov’t will see the return of Maziwa Ya Nyayo for all students aged 10 years and below.

He also promised compulsory lunchtime meals (national diet) in all schools from pre-unit to tertiary level and compulsory daily fruit for all students across all levels of education.

Changes Ruto Gov’t Intends To Make In The Education Sector

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Parents Appeal For Day Secondary School Relief Food

Parents of day secondary schools in Isiolo County have asked national and county administrations to provide them with relief food to alleviate the strain caused by the ongoing drought.

According to Mr. Ismael Galma, leader of the parents’ association in Isiolo County, 30 percent of students from day secondary schools have been sent away for fee arrears, which the kids pay to cater meals.

Mr. Galma stated that school enrolment in primary and secondary schools was high, but it has dropped by 30% since most pupils were sent home to collect lunch payments at school.

He stated that the government instructed all principals not to send kids home, but things are different in Isiolo, where even candidates for examinations next month are currently at home.

Mr. Galma encouraged the County Director of Education, Mr. James Nyaga, to issue a stern warning to principals, stating that education standards were likely to suffer due to absenteeism.

He also urged Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo to resolve education concerns and disburse bursaries on schedule, noting that the county government had not paid bursary funds for the previous four years.

Apart from the current drought, he noted, insecurity is a significant factor in dropouts and low performance in Merti and Garbatula sub-counties, which should be a primary focus for the county.

Mr. Galma said that the number of street children has grown and that many youngsters who were previously fed at school are now begging on the streets, posing a threat to future generations.

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When contacted by KNA, CDE Mr. Nyaga stated that he was unaware of any school where students were returned home for costs and urged all schools to follow the Ministry’s directive to retain kids in school and work out proper payment plans for boarding fees.

Parents Appeal For Day Secondary School Relief Food

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Study-In-Japan: 2023 Government of Japan MEXT Scholarship.

The 2023 Government of Japan MEXT Scholarship at the University of Tokyo for overseas students studying in Japan has been announced.

https://twitter.com/TeachersUpdates/status/1560936782145159169?s=20&t=CQrdKnQeTNKmKHX381s2Ow

The MEXT Scholarship is a fully funded grant that pays tuition fees and offers selected students annual stipends of JPY1,774,000 ($12,764) in addition to covering tuition fees at the University of Tokyo.

A monthly stipend of 3,000 yen may be given to students studying or conducting research in certain selected regions of the country.

– Host Country: Japan

– Study Abroad: Study in Asia

– Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships | Ph.D. Scholarships

– Eligible Countries: All Countries

– Reward: Full Scholarship

– Tuition fees: $12,764 (JPY1,774,000) per year

– Application Opens: October 1, 2022

– Deadline: October 28, 2022

– Scholarship Information:

Applications are currently being accepted for the University Recommended Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship 2023/2024 for International Students.

Scholarship Prerequisites:

To be eligible for MEXT Scholarships, applicants must:

Be an international student with exceptional academic credentials.

Graduates of your most recent degree program should have a grade point average of 2.30 or higher, while current students should have a grade point average of 2.30 or higher for your current courses; both should be required to maintain the same academic requirements throughout the scholarship program.

Satisfy the English Language Proficiency requirements.

Possess the citizenship of a nation with diplomatic ties to the Japanese government.

Be born between April 2, 1988, and after.

Apply for a program in the same or a relevant discipline as the one they studied at their prior university.

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Applicants must choose a field in which they can research at their host university in Japan.

Be in sufficient physical and mental health to pursue their studies in Japan.

Students must be able to arrive in Japan by the date given by the accepted university, which is often within two weeks of the beginning of the semester (October 1, 2023).

Study-In-Japan: 2023 Government of Japan MEXT Scholarship.

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TSC deploys More Teachers to Junior High Schools

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has begun deploying PTE (Primary Teachers Education) teachers to secondary schools.

This results from TSC’s official communication with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).

The Chief Executive Officer of TSC, Dr. Nancy Macharia, stated that with the implementation of the competency-based curriculum, additional teachers will be assigned to Junior Secondary.

Collins Oyuu, secretary general of Knut, remarked that the deployment process is ongoing.

“‘The process of deployment started long ago. It has been an ongoing process in readiness for the next year’s Junior Secondary transition,’’ Oyuu said.

The commission sent five deployment letters to Nairobi County, while Kilifi, Kiambu, Makueni, Embu, and Kajiado counties each received three. The county of Nakuru received two.

TSC had established qualifications for instructors to be assigned to teach in Junior Secondary.

TSC added that it will provide training for the instructors who will be assigned to Junior secondary schools.

This year, the teachers’ organization did not advertise for the deployment positions, but instead used a merit list compiled from prior applications to deploy the PTE teachers.

In 2019 and 2020, TSC offered 1,000 deployment positions in an effort to fill the teacher shortage, stressing that the teachers will assist with the 100 percent primary-to-secondary school transition.

TSC employs deployment as a form of advancement for primary school teachers with advanced degrees.

Members of Parliament exerted pressure on TSC to permit the promotion of teachers with a KCSE mean grade of C or below, as well as those with a diploma, postgraduate diploma, or degree from a recognized learning institution.

However, TSC increased the requirements for teachers who seek to teach in Junior Secondary.

In addition to being a Kenyan citizen, candidates must possess a P1 certificate and a bachelor’s degree in education with two teaching disciplines.

In addition to possessing a degree with a secondary option, deployed teachers must have at least a C+ in KCSE and a C+ in the topics they teach while serving under TSC.

Unbeknownst to the majority, a subset of primary school teachers enrolled in universities to pursue degree-level options despite earning a C (simple) average on their KCSE tests.

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During their tenure, institutions such as Nairobi, Kenyatta, Pwani, and Mount Kenya registered and delivered lectures to students with a mean grade of C (plain) on the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), who also held a PTE certificate.

Those who were deployed began at employment grade C2 with a minimum compensation scale of Sh34,955 and a maximum of Sh43,694 per month.

In addition, they receive a yearly commuter allowance of Sh5,000, a home allowance of Sh7,500 if they do not reside in a municipality, and a leave allowance of Sh6,000.

Those living in disadvantaged regions receive an additional hardship stipend of Sh10,900.

According to Career Progression Guidelines for Teachers, the teacher will advance to job grade C3 upon completion of three years (CPG).

TSC deploys More Teachers to Junior High Schools

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CBC Exams To Be Marked Electronically

The government will save billions of shillings for printing, administering, and grading examinations.

This is a result of the Kenya National Examination Council’s procurement of Optical Mark Recognition in 2021, which enabled automated scoring of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education.

As was customary with the former Kenya Certificate for Primary Education, teachers no longer have the opportunity to grade the final national examination for primary school students.

According to the Kenya National Examination Council, the next Kenya Primary School Education Assessment national examination for the Competency-Based Curriculum will consist solely of multiple-choice questions that can be quickly graded using the new technology; instructors will not be contacted.

Ann Ngatia, the coordinator of the KNEC CBC, said that the machine grades the candidates’ work by scanning their answer sheets.

These machines utilize a dedicated scanning device that projects a light beam onto the candidate’s paper.

The difference between reflections at specified places on a page is then utilized to detect marked areas, which reflect less light than unmarked parts.

In stark contrast to previous years, when marking took hours, these new computers marked candidate scripts in batches of 100 and 200 sheets, requiring the least time.

The first CBC classrooms in Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 began taking the School-Based Assessment exam last week.

In these evaluations, KNEC solely provides online versions that schools can download and print to give students a taste of the national test.

In addition to grading, scoring, recording, and inputting the final grades online with the national exam administration, teachers in their schools perform these tasks without further compensation.

Grade six students will sit for their final test starting November 28.

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On November 25, there will be a dress rehearsal, and on November 28, there will be exams in mathematics and English.

On November 29, students will take the Integrated Science and Kiswahili exams, followed by Creative Arts and Social Studies.

CBC Exams To Be Marked Electronically

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School Exposed for Allegedly ‘Expelling’ Student For Not Shaving Hair Against Her Faith

A Teso school has been exposed for allegedly dismissing a student whose faith forbids her from shaving her hair.

The girl’s mother stated that her daughter was expelled from St. Mark ACK Machakusi Secondary School on August 29 for refusing to shave her head.

“When I took her back to school, we were told that she must follow school regulations by shaving hair like other students,” she said. 

Reuben Oliambo, the school’s principal, rejected accusations that the girl was expelled for failing to shave her head.

He stated that when the school’s Board of Management considered the issue, the girl’s mother claimed she would transfer her daughter to a school where long hair was permitted.

The principal reported that after the board meeting, the mother instructed her daughter to remain at home until she was admitted to a different school.

"Traditionally, every school has a disciplined culture. For purposes of uniformity, every student at our school is required to have short hair, stated Oliambo.

He stated that the girl used to shave her head before enrolling in school.

He said the matter didn’t escalate until she revealed she had joined a religion that forbids ladies and girls from shaving.

The girl’s mother claimed that her attempts to persuade the school’s principal that the matter had a religious basis went on deaf ears.

The institution insisted that the daughter would not be permitted to attend classes unless she shaved.

The founder of the church, Pastor Vincent Emuria, stated that the school made a mistake by sending the girl home despite Kenyan rules ensuring religious freedom in educational institutions.

Emuria stated, "Our request to the Ministry of Education is that it assist the girl in returning to school while following to her religious beliefs.”

The child stated that she enjoys studying as much as she enjoys contributing to the Christian community.

On June 19, 2022, President Uhuru Kenyatta requested that school administrators permit students to pursue their religious beliefs freely.

School Exposed for Allegedly ‘Expelling’ Student For Not Shaving Hair Against Her Faith

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CBC Classroom Contractors Demand Pay Increase, Terms Harsh Economic Times

Given the current economic climate, Nakuru contractors constructing classrooms under the Competency-Based Curriculum urge the government to enhance their pay.

They demand a rise in compensation from Sh788,000 to Sh1.1 million per classroom. Approximately fifty percent of contractors have withdrawn from phase two construction.

Saturday, Nakuru contractors told the Star that the government’s current estimates are too low and should be increased.

According to interviews, some contractors have been compelled to abandon projects despite having contracts.

The first portion of the Sh788,000-per-class construction has been completed, but the final phase is dragging on.

The contractors are requesting that the price per classroom be increased to Sh1.1 million, as materials and other prices have risen dramatically over the past year.

They linked the issue to the high labor costs, sand, cement, roofing sheets, and other construction inputs.

Josphat Gichure, chairman of the Nakuru Contractors Association, stated that several classrooms could not be completed on time.

The group reported that more than fifty percent of first-phase contractors had withdrawn from the second phase.

“We are grateful for the opportunity, but we are incurring huge losses, hence, the move to pull out,“ he said on Saturday.

According to him, some of the contractors agreed to construct many classrooms in the first phase.

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However, they have been unable to complete them due to the economic crisis, "thus the delay,” he stated.

The director of education in Nakuru, Fredrick Osewe, stated that the cost per classroom had been brought up but that the Education Ministry was managing the matter.

CBC Classroom Contractors Demand Pay Increase, Terms Harsh Economic Times

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Parents Call For CBC Review

As Kenyans anxiously await the Supreme Court’s decision, parents of children enrolled in the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) have diverse expectations.

On Sunday, September 4, some parents addressed the press and demanded that the incoming president review the implementation of the curriculum.

They stated that the curriculum’s current requirements are too emotionally and financially taxing for parents.

Senator-elect of Tana River, Danson Mungatana, attacked the state, claiming that parents must work all day to put food on the table but are also supposed to sit with their children and make artwork.

“If we are going with this system, how are we going to make it practical? Because it is unfair that everyday when we come home as a father or mother we have to sit and make a cap with the child after struggling to make a living for them,” argued Mungatana.

Lans Kadenge, a parent residing in the Tana Delta, criticized the continued rollout’s negative impact on households already struggling to put food on the table.

Kadenge says CBC is quite difficult, and the government should make some changes to make it bearable.

Imelda Mungatana complimented the implementation, saying it brought parents closer to their children than the 8-4-4 implementation.

She was, however, anxious about the demands that strained household finances.

“It is bringing us closer to our children. For instance, I was not close to my child but so many things have come up demanding me to concentrate to them. Only that the requirements can be a challenge sometimes,” she explained.

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In 2023, about 1,3 million kids in Grade 6, CBC’s pioneer class, are projected to enter junior secondary school.

As most classrooms have already been erected, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha is sure that the deployment will go without a hiccup.

Parents Call For CBC Review

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