DNK International The recent public criticism directed at Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba by some Members of Parliament and sections of stakeholders is unfortunate, ill-considered, and misplaced. Coming from leaders who are constitutionally mandated to legislate, allocate resources, and provide oversight, such criticism is not only unhelpful but borders on hypocrisy. Education reform cannot be advanced through political grandstanding; it requires honesty, shared responsibility, and constructive engagement from all actors.
CS Ogamba assumed office in August 2024 at one of the most challenging moments in the history of Kenya’s education sector. He inherited a system under intense strain—marked by the full rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), unresolved funding gaps, acute teacher shortages, infrastructure deficits, and lingering instability in higher education. This was a difficult and complex transition not of his making, but one he was called upon to stabilise and steer.
Despite these constraints, the Ministry of Education has registered measurable progress under his leadership. The 2025 KCSE results recorded an improvement, with 27.18 per cent of candidates attaining C+ and above, up from 25.53 per cent in 2024. The Ministry successfully administered the first-ever Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) for over 1.1 million learners transitioning to Grade 10 under the CBC framework—an unprecedented national undertaking.
Education continues to receive strong government backing, with the sector allocated KSh 702.7 billion in the 2025/26 national budget, representing 28 per cent of total government expenditure. This includes KSh 109.9 billion in capitation for basic education and funding for the recruitment of 56,000 teachers. Additionally, approximately 14,880 classrooms had been constructed by January 2025, easing infrastructure pressure across the country, particularly in marginalised areas.
At the same time, serious structural challenges remain. Secondary schools face funding shortfalls estimated at KSh 71 billion, while junior secondary schools contend with an additional KSh 46 billion deficit. The country faces a shortage of over 100,000 teachers, with only 80,000 currently deployed in junior schools against a requirement of 140,000. Only 21 per cent of junior school teachers are trained in STEM subjects, 35 per cent of schools lack a single STEM teacher, and more than 1,600 schools have no laboratories, undermining the practical foundations of CBC. These are long-standing, systemic issues that require coordinated national solutions.
It is therefore disingenuous for legislators—who determine budget ceilings and approve allocations—to single out the Cabinet Secretary for challenges rooted in policy choices and fiscal constraints they themselves influence. While accountability and open engagement are essential, unfair attacks weaken rather than strengthen reform efforts.
National Call to Action
Kenya’s education sector is too critical to be reduced to partisan contestation. With over 17 million learners depending on a stable and effective system, the country must now choose cooperation over confrontation. CS Julius Ogamba has demonstrated resolve and steadiness in navigating an extraordinarily difficult transition. What he requires—and what the nation demands—is unified support from Parliament, county leadership, educators, parents, and communities.
This is the moment for national leadership to rise above politics and rally behind education reform. The government has committed unprecedented resources. The Ministry is implementing reforms under immense pressure. What remains is collective goodwill, timely funding, and political maturity. Supporting the Cabinet Secretary is not about personalities; it is about safeguarding the future of Kenyan children. Education must unite us—not divide us
SAM NYAMWEYA, MBS,
CHAIR, GUSII AND KURIA PROFESSIONALS CAUCUS
