Three PSs to lead Education ministry as Ruto creates new department
The establishment of the new state department comes just a day after President Ruto announced his intention to create a dedicated unit for research and innovation.
The Ministry of Education will now be headed by three principal secretaries following the establishment of a new State Department by President William Ruto.
Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat has been appointed as the Principal Secretary for Science, Research, and Innovation, a newly created docket that has been carved from the Higher Education department currently led by Beatrice Inyangala.
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The move increases the number of principal secretaries in the ministry, which is under the leadership of Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
The three PSs now overseeing key state departments are: Principal Secretary in the State Department for Basic Education Julius Bitok, Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education and Research, Beatrice Muganda Inyangala and Principal Secretary in the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat.
Bitok, who previously served as the principal secretary for Immigration, has swapped positions with Belio Kipsang.
Prof Abdulrazak, who currently serves as the Director of the Division for Africa at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), brings a wealth of experience to his new role.
He previously served as the CEO of the Kenya National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation from 2008 to 2014. He has over 30 years of experience as a professor, university administrator and advisor on science, technology, and innovation (STI) matters.
His past roles include vice-chancellor of Umma University, deputy vice-chancellor at Egerton University, governor of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), and chairperson of the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute.
He has also been a board member of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and a member of the Kenya National Economic and Social Council.
Abdulrazak is a fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences. He has published extensively in international journals, scientific conferences and symposium proceedings.
His academic background includes undergraduate studies at Egerton University, a master’s and PhD in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Aberdeen, UK and a postdoctoral fellowship at Shimane University, Japan.
The establishment of the new state department comes just a day after President Ruto announced his intention to create a dedicated unit for research and innovation.
Speaking at Riara University while awarding it a charter, Ruto highlighted the government’s commitment to enhancing higher education and fostering innovation.
“I am seriously considering a state department to deal specifically with research, development, and innovation as a way of ensuring that we grow that space because of the tremendous opportunity that exists in innovation and research,” Ruto said.
He emphasised that the government aims to design policies that will transform universities into hubs of research, innovation and academic excellence.
The restructuring is expected to enhance the efficiency of the education sector and bolster Kenya’s position as a leader in research and innovation.
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