Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has told off politicians meddling with education matters in a bid to gain political mileage.
The CS has said the sector is critical in the well-being of the nation as it concerns over 12 million learners from the ECDE to the university level.
Ogamba, who spoke in Murang’a County while inspecting the admission of grade 10 learners to senior secondary schools, said the government will no longer sit back and allow unfounded statements to be made concerning the sector.
He noted that national schools are accorded the status to allow them to admit learners from all parts of the country and that calls for such schools to only admit students from the local communities are misplaced.
“Leaders in the political space should avoid politicizing the education sector because we are dealing with different groups of learners. All these students are individuals from specific homes who have dreams. Allowing politicians to continue politicking with their education is messing with their futures.”
The CS observed that reckless statements may cause undue anxiety and discourage learners from some areas from joining schools in other regions.
“We will not agree in 2026 to be taken back to archaic thinking. We have been quiet for some time but will not anymore,” he said, calling for mature politics amongst leaders”.
Grade 10 being the first cohort under the Competence Based Education (CBE), Ogamba said, has faced some challenges, some of which were anticipated.
Last year, the class faced issues while transitioning to grade nine, and the government had to partner with NGCDF to construct 23,000 classrooms.
Further, delays in disbursements of capitation saw schools struggle to sustain learning activities.
“Last term, capitation was delayed quite a bid but it’s because we were conducting a verification exercise that has since been concluded, and the report will be released next week”.
The verification exercise, according to the CS, was conducted to establish how many learners were in individual schools and made it possible for the ministry to release capitation early this term.
He cautioned school heads against demanding for more money from parents while dismissing claims that capitation funds per student have been slashed.
“Capitation remains the same. Sh1,500 for primary school, Sh15,000 for JSS and Sh22,400 for Senior School learners. School fees have also not been raised, contrary to some claims,” he added.
He said it was unfair for leaders to publicly claim that the government would no longer provide capitation, causing parents sleepless nights.
The CS reiterated the government’s commitment to streamline the challenges facing the sector, saying that over 30 per cent of the national budget is allocated for the sector, over Sh720 billion annually, and that naysayers will be continuously put to shame.
“This government doesn’t kick the can down the road. Last year, we faced numerous challenges in the ministry. All unions went on strike and we dealt with the challenges one by one”
“Those who are making noise are the ones who left the CBE in shambles. It took the President taking over and forming the Presidential Working Party to take submissions from Kenyans and come up with a roadmap. Now we are back on track”.
He also sounded a warning to unscrupulous bar owners selling alcohol near learning institutions saying the government will take stern action against them.
He said such traders expose learners to alcohol and drugs, interfering with their learning activities, and called on security agencies to ensure they’re weeded out.
Maragua MP Mary Waithera, who accompanied the CS during his visit to Kimorori Primary and Kamahuha Girls Secondary Schools, had raised concerns over the high prevalence of drugs in the county.
She accused the county administration of licensing bars in the villages, making it easy to access alcohol, and called for a multi-agency approach against the vice.
She also echoed calls for politicians to keep off the education sector, saying that leaders have been spreading falsehoods and spreading fear amongst Kenyans.
