President William Ruto has reshuffled two Principal Secretaries, reassigning Principal Secretary for Basic Education PS Julius Bitok to the Tourism docket in the latest shake-up.
The changes, announced on Tuesday, June 9, will see outgoing Tourism PS John Lekakeny Ololtuaa take over the Basic Education docket in the Ministry of Education in what will be a direct swap.
“His Excellency the president has this afternoon sanctioned re-assignments in the senior ranks of the Executive in the cadre of Principal Secretaries,” a notice from the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said.
“BY DINT OF the Presidential action, the following Principal Secretaries have been re-assigned as stated: Re-assigned from the State Department for Basic Education, Ministry of Education to the State Department for Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife; and re-assigned from the State Department for Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife to the State Department for Basic Education, Ministry of Education.”
According to the Executive Office of the President, the reassignments take effect immediately.
Bitok made headlines recently for asking schools to negotiate with students over examinations amid the ongoing schools unrest.
Speaking during Educational Day at Kisabei Secondary School, Bomet County, the PS outlined what he said were causes of restlessness among learners leading to strikes and fire-related tragedies.
Bitok put schools on notice, calling the administrations out for apparently failing to address issues bedevilling the students.
Examination schedules and timetables are among the issues the PS noted that are causing restlessness among learners.
According to Bitok, students resort to burning schools as a show of indifference and lack of interest.
He called on heads of institutions to give audience to the learners and address their concerns.
Bitok announced that school heads and principals have been instructed not to forcibly administer examinations to learners, nor indeed force them through other activities they may not be interested in.
“We have told the school principals and teachers not to force students to do exams. They should negotiate with them. If they are not ready, even for mock exams, they should talk to the students.
“It is better for exams to be postponed than to force them, because by morning, they may have burned down the school. We must ensure we listen to these learners. They have something to say,” he said.
At the same time, Bitok also took a dig at parents who cushion their children even when they err.
He said parents still reserve the responsibility of disciplining their children and shaping them into responsible people.
