Education

Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu has revealed that key procurement procedures were flouted, projects stalled without explanation, and performance bonds allowed to expire, exposing taxpayers to potential losses.

HELB argues that the current budget barely supports university and TVET students, and that including additional beneficiaries would require new funding mechanisms.

The case, filed at the Employment and Labour Relations Court, challenges the TSC’s decision to exclude teachers from hardship-designated counties from the list of over 25,000 teachers slated for promotion this financial year.

The protests, led by Gen Z activists and supported by civil society groups, are expected to peak on Monday, July 7, marking the anniversary of the 1990 Saba Saba demonstrations that pushed for democratic reforms in Kenya.

The digital shift follows a government audit conducted in June 2025, which uncovered serious flaws in document verification across the public service.

Among the flagged issues were expenditures outside the designated periods, stalled construction of an engineering tuition block, and failure to comply with minimum staff ethnic diversity standards.

The initiative comes just days before learners under the competency-based curriculum sit for the first-ever Kenya Junior School Education Assessment.

In the notice, HELB emphasised inclusivity by reiterating the urgency and commitment to supporting students from all backgrounds.

Although a significant number of eligible candidates missed out on placement, those who applied appeared to favour degree programmes in engineering and medicine.

Education CS Julius Ogamba disclosed that out of the 244,563 candidates who qualified for degree programmes, 201,695 applied for placement to various levels.

During a session on Tuesday, legislators warned of tough sanctions, stressing that the culture of impunity in public universities and colleges must be brought to an end.

Following the failed talks with the TSC on Tuesday, KNUT has issued a seven-day strike notice, warning of nationwide disruption in public schools starting Monday, July 7, if its grievances remain unresolved.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government remains committed to ensuring a smooth transition of the current Grade 9 learners to senior school next year and will provide the necessary resources to support this process.

Under the revised structure, all former national schools now fall under Cluster 1, extra-county schools under Cluster 2, county schools under Cluster 3, and sub-county schools under Cluster 4.

Despite a nationwide shortage of 98,461 teachers in public schools, over 300,000 registered teachers remain jobless in Kenya.

The school heads say many students remain unfunded due to challenges with the National Education Management Information System (Nemis), leaving institutions unable to meet operational needs.

The new fees will vary by school cluster and are intended to match the cost of implementing senior school pathways, including science and technology.

The union is proposing to have the JSS level fully equipped and independent of primary and higher secondary levels in a bid to resolve CBC challenges.

National Secretary Abdi Noor Haji said 1,864 school heads who had been promoted to principal, senior principal, and chief principal roles had their promotions revoked on grounds they had not completed three years in the new grades.

They argued that in 1996, the Commission promoted untrained A-Level teachers while sidelining those who had undergone formal training, a move they described as discriminatory and unlawful.

The principals also resolved to embrace flexibility and innovation in the rollout of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, especially with Grade 10 students expected to join Senior School next year.

The CS revealed that a major challenge facing the sector is teacher distribution, with an estimated 62,000 to 65,000 trained teachers holding Teachers Service Commission (TSC) numbers still out of work.

The failure to release the remaining funds has disrupted learning and forced institutions to operate under tight financial strain, despite continuing to admit government-sponsored students.

The Kenya Association of Private Universities raised concerns over the sustainability of their institutions, citing the accumulation of unpaid government debts and a lack of policy safeguards.

The placement agency encouraged all interested applicants to take advantage of the window to submit their applications online or through any Huduma Centre across the country.

Student leaders expressed concern that the tuition fee hikes are already disrupting learning and pushing thousands of students to the brink of dropping out.

TSC has revealed that it has adopted a standardised scoring system aimed at ensuring merit-based advancement during promotion interviews.

Speaking at the event, Kamukunji Member of Parliament Yusuf Hassan highlighted the importance of education in transforming lives and addressing poverty.

The union has warned that the employer's failure to initiate talks within the stipulated period could trigger a nationwide teachers’ strike and other forms of industrial action.

Among the most heavily indebted institutions are Kenyatta University, which owes Sh12.38 billion; the University of Nairobi, with Sh12.22 billion; and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, which owes Sh9.13 billion.

Governor Mutai pointed out that persistent malnutrition, including stunting and micronutrient deficiencies, continues to affect the academic performance of young learners.

MPs questioned how the TSC and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) determine hardship allowances, with some legislators accusing the commission of relying on flawed guidance.

Approximately 1.2 million learners are expected to transition from junior to senior school at the start of 2026.

Speaking on Thursday during the Third National Executive Retreat, the President said the initiative is part of a broader government effort to enhance the quality of education and support science-based learning across the country.

President William Ruto urged parents to insist on paying fees digitally, hailing schools that have adopted the platform as champions of accountability.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the change is part of a broader plan to transform the education system and produce graduates who are ready for both local and international labour markets.

According to KMTC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Kelly Oluoch, the HELB portal is now open for applications and urged eligible students to apply before the deadline on June 24, 2025.

The university says the retrenchment is expected to save Sh120 million each month, though MPs have questioned the legality, fairness, and timing of the layoffs.

According to HELB CEO Geoffrey Monari, accountants top the list of non-payment, with only 11 per cent of the active ones repaying their loans. Out of 20,420 accounts linked to trained accountants, just 2,420 are active in repayment, leaving about 18,000 in default.

But with reduced funding, schools in 26 counties may struggle to sustain the initiative, leaving thousands of learners vulnerable to dropping out.

The ruling bars public schools from imposing any levies without prior approval from the Education Cabinet Secretary.

KICD Chairperson Professor Simon Gicharu said the two strands were introduced after education stakeholders pushed for mathematics to be included among compulsory subjects in senior school.

The revelations emerged during a heated National Assembly debate, where MPs accused education officials of running a widespread scheme that exploits schools as soon as government funds are disbursed.

Kenya University Staff Union, Moi University Chapter, said staff were being declared redundant without dialogue, only for their roles to be outsourced shortly after.

Recently, Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the government is targeting to recruit 24,000 more teachers by the end of the year.

TSC will receive the lion’s share of Sh387.2 billion, including Sh7.2 billion earmarked for the recruitment of intern teachers and Sh980 million for capacity building under the CBC.

The legislators have since directed the Office of the Auditor General to conduct a special audit of the system, which is used to manage learner enrolment data and guide the annual allocation of capitation for free primary and secondary education.

Helb CEO Geoffrey Monari warned that the Sh35 billion in defaults could have been enough to fund at least 289,000 university and college students for a full academic year.

Knut, Kuppet and Kusnet officials say they submitted fresh proposals months ago, but have not received any meaningful response from the TSC.

Mbadi’s comments follow public uproar over reports that the government planned to end the national exam fee waiver, which has been in place since 2015.

According to data from KUCCPS, 173,098 students were admitted to TVET institutions—outnumbering the 156,713 placed in university degree programmes.