New Bill seeks wealth declarations from non-teaching staff in public schools
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.
A Bill before Parliament seeks to strengthen financial accountability in public schools by requiring non-teaching staff to declare their wealth and aligning school audits with the Public Audit Act.
The Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Sirisia MP John Waluke, proposes changes to the Basic Education Act, 2013, which was enacted to give effect to Article 53 of the Constitution.
The law guarantees every child the right to free and compulsory basic education. It also sets out the structures for managing public schools, defines the roles of boards of management, parents, and teachers, and provides a framework for curriculum development, governance, and quality assurance.
Over the years, the Act has been central to promoting access, equity, and accountability in Kenya’s education system.
During pre-publication scrutiny of the new Bill, the National Assembly’s Education Committee raised concerns about the misuse of school infrastructure funds. It stressed the need to separate financial and academic responsibilities.
“Let the teacher be the teacher, teach and manage the academics, and we have a professional manager and a qualified administrator actually dealing with issues of money with schools, resources and procurement,” said Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera.
Sparked debate
However, the proposal has sparked debate over whether requiring bursars and other support staff to declare their assets is the right move.
Some MPs argued that while financial accountability is vital, existing laws—including the Basic Education Act and the Public Finance Management Act—already provide for audits and penalties in cases of non-compliance.
Committee chair and Tinderet MP Julius Melly assured that the review would focus on addressing persistent gaps without duplicating existing provisions.
“The goal is not to duplicate laws but to close gaps where misuse of funds persists,” he said.
Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara and Teso South MP Mary Emaase urged the Ministry of Education to establish clear accountability systems for bursars and administrators, noting that many handle large sums of money without sufficient oversight.
The committee also engaged representatives from the Office of the Auditor-General, who shared findings from past performance audits. These included the 2018 review of development funds for technical institutions and the 2021 audit of primary school infrastructure, both of which revealed systemic weaknesses in financial management across the sector.
The committee is expected to refine the Bill in the coming weeks before it is tabled for debate in the National Assembly.
The proposed amendment has also reignited wider scrutiny of governance in education, with critics questioning whether reforms should target individual staff or address the broader financial management system. They argue that focusing on wealth declarations for non-teaching staff may overlook the bigger picture.
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