Education

Kenyatta University alumni have petitioned the Employment and Labour Relations Court to remove Vice-Chancellor Paul Kuria Wainaina in his final months, alleging unlawful, nepotistic decisions that risk a governance crisis.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court has ordered TSC to immediately transfer teacher Geoffrey Lelon from North Eastern, citing security risks, in a ruling expected to shape future teacher safety cases.

Kenya’s TSC projects a shortage of 58,590 teachers for Grade 10 in 2026, with STEM and specialised subjects hardest hit, as over one million learners transition to senior school.

KNEC has warned parents, teachers and candidates about social media scams claiming to alter KCSE and KJSEA results, stressing anonymised marking and urging the public to report suspicious approaches.

With the right investments and policies, distance education can move closer to fulfilling its full promise: to provide equitable, life-changing access to higher learning for all.

TSC explained that the extension aligns with the Teacher Internship Policy and Guidelines (2019) and is intended to ensure a smooth transition while preventing disruptions in learning as the current contracts expire.

Parliament is reviewing a Bill to convert TSC chair and commissioners to part-time roles, aiming to save about Sh70 million annually while expanding representation for primary, secondary, TVET teachers and lecturers.

Kenya faces a 137,500 teacher shortfall, with key subjects like Home Science, Social Studies and Creative Arts hit hardest, as thousands of trained teachers remain jobless or leave for better pay.

An Oxfam report shows 1.13 million Kenyan children are out of school, linking dropouts to deepening inequality, underfunded public schools, teacher shortages and rising private education gaps.

Kenya has allocated Sh27 billion to upgrade TVET institutions and Sh2 billion for fast-tracked funding, targeting two million trainees by 2027 and expanding skills, trainers and job opportunities nationwide.

A report by the Auditor General shows that some parents were forced to pay as much as Sh1.2 million for projects initiated by schools, while others parted with between Sh100,000 and Sh300,000.

The new SHA medical scheme for teachers begins at midnight despite concerns over registration issues and legal challenges. Teachers express frustration with the transition process.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the project places TUM at the centre of Kenya’s long-term plan to grow skills in maritime and coastal development.

TSC Chairperson Jamleck Muturi said the commission will now place greater emphasis on the welfare and well-being of teachers.

Workers argue that delays in signing and implementing the CBA have left staff struggling financially and facing uncertainty about their professional benefits.

The High Court has ordered that the exam result be issued within 14 days from November 25, 2025, ahead of the CEO’s hearing.

Justice Sifuna condemned the examination body for what he described as "wilful disobedience" of binding judicial orders.

Two petitioners argue that the shift could compromise the welfare of over 400,000 teachers, exposing them to risks such as lapses in cover, denial of treatment and loss of contractual rights.

The revelation comes even as President William Ruto’s administration has pledged to hire 24,000 teachers by January 2026 to address the ongoing shortage in public schools.

The new appointments will be permanent and pensionable, covering primary, junior, and secondary school levels across the country.

The court ruled that the petition can proceed without adding the applicant, saying his arguments were already well captured in the main suit.

According to the Auditor General, this situation goes against the University Act, 2012, which requires every university to have a chancellor to provide leadership and oversight.

Over 30,000 educators, drawn from 9,626 schools, will take part in the three-week programme scheduled to run from December 1 to December 19, 2025, aimed at equipping them to deliver the new Senior School curriculum.

This year, candidates’ names and index numbers have been removed from all scripts, with identification slips packed separately to guarantee impartiality.

The TSC confirmed receiving 131,734 applications for the 21,313 promotion vacancies, reflecting an oversubscription of 618 per cent.

Ogamba applauded the commitment of centre managers, supervisors and invigilators who ensured seamless administration across the country.

With these updated figures now in place, the government says schools can expect capitation funds to be released without the delays that affected previous terms.

Senators have called for an immediate policy review to guarantee that deserving teachers are not forced into prolonged temporary roles.

The Committee underscored that this oversight is vital for addressing financial mismanagement, governance gaps, and any suspected wrongdoing.

Ruto noted that this move, combined with the 76,000 teachers already hired, will bring the total to 100,000 within three years.

The institutions say the prolonged delays have strained their budgets, affecting their ability to run smoothly and maintain the standards expected in higher education.

The Kenya Association of Private Universities (KAPU) told the legislators that despite submitting detailed claims to the Treasury and Ministry of Education, payments remain pending, leaving universities to cover costs from their reserves.

They argue that placing junior school teachers, many of whom are recent college graduates, in high-ranking roles undermines the experience and authority of established school heads.

So far, authorities have identified 87,000 ghost learners amid concerns of nearly Sh1 billion in capitation funds misappropriated. A total of 10 schools across 10 counties have also been found with no learners at all.

In an urgent application filed in Nairobi, Lawrence Omondi Chero accuses Vice-Chancellor Prof. Paul Kuria Wainaina of creating "tailor-made recruitment criteria designed to favour a preferred candidate" ahead of the end of his term on January 26, 2026.

The CS also revealed seven cases of impersonation, mainly involving adult candidates, warning that those responsible would face criminal prosecution, while the affected candidates’ results would be cancelled in accordance with the Kenya National Examinations Act, 2012.

More than 23,000 public primary school heads and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) argue that the transition will ease administration and align schools with the ongoing Competency-Based Education framework.

The tutors said their one-year agreements with the Ministry of Education were meant as a transition into permanent employment, arguing that their low pay under the internship scheme is discriminatory and unsustainable.

The TSC chairperson said CBE is about upgrading competencies in curriculum design, assessment for learning, classroom management, digital literacy, inclusive education, and reflective practice.

The petition calls on MPs to fast-track the entrenchment of the Constitution into the national curriculum. In his view, it should be compulsory and examinable like other subjects.

According to the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), the sector is grappling with an unpaid Sh11 billion owed for printing and publishing Grade 8 and 9 books since 2022.

Milemba said the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has no legal authority to hire teachers as interns, and that the practice is “wasting our teachers”.

Transition to SHA guarantees uninterrupted medical services and expanded benefits for over 400,000 teachers nationwide.”

Delegates representing more than 23,000 primary schools across the country cited the shortage of laboratories, workshops and ICT resources as major obstacles to effective implementation of the new curriculum.

Elite professionals, including lawyers, doctors, engineers and accountants, top the list of those who have not honoured their repayment obligations.

The looming transition has sparked anxiety within the teaching fraternity, with unions demanding a full breakdown of how the new scheme will operate.

The latest award came weeks after the group announced that its international campus had received recognition during World Teachers’ Day activities this year for creativity in teaching and learning.

Ogutu, a teacher at Sky Schools in Dar es Salaam, was shot dead on October 29, 2025, while his compatriot, Fredrick Lorent Obuya, was unlawfully arrested and detained by Tanzanian security forces on October 31.

This comes amid reports that John Okoth Ogutu, a Kenyan teacher at Sky Schools in Dar es Salaam, was reportedly shot dead during the post-election unrest in the neighbouring country.

According to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, the incidents, reported as of November 6, 2025, span Nyanza, Rift Valley and Eastern regions.