Education

The Placement Service has also requested Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) to submit its approved programmes and capacities for publication in the online placement system ahead of the 2026 placement exercise.

Ogamba admitted that some schools were breaching ministry rules by requiring pupils to report too early, reiterating that official learning hours are from 8:00am to 3:00pm.

KUSU Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya accused Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba of mishandling the negotiations and undermining a court ruling.

Through their legal representatives, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) claims that recurring unrest at Litein Boys’ High School has become a financial burden to parents and points to a possible pattern of exploitation by the school’s administration.

MPs have initiated steps through the Parliamentary Directorate of Legal Services to propose targeted legislation aimed at curbing mismanagement and ensuring prompt resolution of audit queries.

The framework outlines how teachers will be selected, matched with suitable openings, and deployed through formal agreements between Kenya and foreign governments or institutions.

KPA Chairperson Kiarie Kamau said the debt has affected not only publishers but also authors, distributors, and even the Kenya Revenue Authority, underlining the wide-ranging impact of the delayed payments.

KUCCPS has also drafted a Bill seeking operational independence and the exclusive mandate to oversee placement for both government-sponsored and self-sponsored students.

The successful candidate will be appointed for a five-year term, renewable once based on performance, with remuneration determined by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

School heads say the delays have crippled operations, leaving institutions unable to purchase essential materials and equipment needed for exam sessions.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the restructuring will not lead to any job losses, assuring staff that essential services and oversight will continue uninterrupted.

According to the report, the institutions used 62 per cent of their total Sh100 billion revenue on personnel emoluments, leaving little for development and operations.

Used well, AI can help generate practice questions, provide feedback, and stimulate dialogue (if students are guided to critically engage with its outputs).

Only 14 per cent of low-income countries have policies mandating continuing professional development for primary school teachers.

According to Treasury CS John Mbadi, the government released the agreed Sh4.3 billion to universities and a further Sh2.7 billion this year.

The tutors argue that the figures in question are well documented and that further verification is a ploy to delay their dues.

The union is pushing for the independence of the Junior Secondary wing or, alternatively, the transfer of JSS to existing secondary schools.

A section of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) officials said the directive was an attempt to silence teachers ahead of the union’s elections slated for January 2026.

Under the proposal, CUE would be empowered to set quotas for specific programmes that produce the highest number of unemployed graduates, particularly in the social sciences.

Jepkosgei Chemoiwa’s recognition places her among the continent’s most celebrated educators and highlights the enduring impact of teachers committed to shaping the next generation.

CS Julius Ogamba said that the ongoing audit of learners and institutions is now 75 per cent complete. Preliminary results show that around 50,000 students listed in the system do not exist, with more irregularities expected as the audit progresses.

The council will also pilot digital smart padlocks in 250 exam storage containers. These locks will allow real-time monitoring and reduce the risks of unauthorised access. KNEC officials handling the locks will undergo thorough training before the exams begin.

Njengere added that registration for the exams had already been completed, with KCSE attracting 996,078 candidates, KPSEA 1,298,089, and the inaugural KJSEA under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) expected to reach 1,130,669 candidates. Overall, more than 3.4 million learners will sit national assessments across the country.

The amendments, currently facing a legal challenge, were widely seen as a strategy to help long-serving officials retain control.

Documents presented during the session show that the title deed was collected by the Ministry of Education on September 9, 2016, and despite repeated efforts, the school has yet to recover it.

Legislators expressed concern over the proliferation of forged degrees, insufficient staffing and the Sh935.7 million debt owed to the Commission.

Students interested in applying are required to log in to the KUCCPS Students’ Portal, where they can view detailed programme requirements and submit their applications online.

As the financial dispute remains unresolved, the strike has amplified existing challenges in public universities, including crumbling infrastructure and growing frustration among students and lecturers. The outcome of the upcoming conciliation talks will determine whether learning resumes soon or the crisis deepens further.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said the reforms are aimed at strengthening independence, addressing staffing shortages and refining the structural framework of JSS.

CS Ogamba stressed that institutions must no longer cover up acts of destruction and indiscipline.

Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma, who chaired the session, warned that both girls and boys are increasingly vulnerable to abuse in schools.

His statement follows a surge of unrest that has swept through several schools, forcing closures and causing property losses worth millions of shillings.

Every school will undergo a rigorous validation exercise to confirm registration with the county education board and the posting of a substantive principal by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) before funds are released.

The uproar comes a day after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, appearing before the Senate Committee on Education, requested one more week to complete the verification process.

The future of work in Africa will not be defined by smooth transitions, but by complex entanglements. Recognising and supporting these entanglements may be one of the most important tasks of higher education in the decades ahead.

Out of the 961,144 candidates who sat the 2024 KCSE, only 246,165 can be traced in the university placement system.

MPs stressed the importance of complete documentation to ensure proper financial management and compliance with existing regulations.

Currently, at least 708,000 students are enrolled in Kenyan universities, and over 100,000 graduated this year.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the total number of teachers needed across basic education institutions is 137,500, despite large-scale recruitment efforts over the past three years.

The institution reportedly failed to remit staff contributions for years, with funds deposited into an unregistered and non-compliant account.

Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi termed the premature closure of the portal as ill-timed, saying it has disadvantaged learners who had only recently acquired their ID cards.

During a recent visit to Njoro Technical and Training Institute and Gilgil Technical and Vocational Training College, MPs reviewed unresolved audit queries highlighted by the Auditor General, pointing to non-compliance with key operational requirements for higher learning institutions.

Despite the suspension of the strike by the courts, UASU has vowed to continue industrial action until all its demands are met.

The proposed amendment has reignited wider scrutiny of governance in education, with critics questioning whether reforms should target individual staff or address the broader financial management system.

One striking example is a mysterious farmer controlling around 2,000 acres of Egerton University land for maize farming, with “the beneficial owner not known and the value not disclosed,” the report notes.

Ogamba said that while the government has hired 76,000 teachers in recent years and plans to recruit an additional 24,000 by December 2025, some regions remain critically understaffed.

Parents accuse them of negligence, dereliction of duty and failing to enforce safety standards in schools, arguing that the September 5, 2024, tragedy was preventable. Court documents detail that the dormitory where the 21 boys, aged between 10 and 14, died was constructed of wood and lacked fire safety measures.

He warned that moving learners to separate institutions could expose them to greater risks, pointing to recent unrest in some secondary schools as an example.

Teachers’ unions and Junior Secondary School (JSS) tutors are intensifying calls for the government to grant JSS full autonomy, separate from both primary and senior secondary institutions.

KPA chairperson Kiarie Kamau said the outstanding amount relates to books supplied earlier this year for Grade Nine and other levels, adding that the delay is straining the entire value chain.