Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has appointed a 52-member multi-stakeholder task team to investigate recurrent unrest in schools and recommend reforms to improve learner safety, discipline and welfare.
The team, chaired by Professor Peter Mulwa Mbithi, will examine the immediate and underlying causes of school disturbances, review previous inquiries and establish why earlier recommendations may not have been fully implemented.
The appointment, published in a Gazette notice dated October 23, 2026, gives the team 90 days to complete its work, with monthly progress reports and a final report to be submitted to the Cabinet Secretary.
The committee brings together education officials, union representatives, academics, legal experts, security personnel and other professionals.
Among its members are Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General Collins Oyuu, Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers National Secretary Secondary Edward Obwocha, Kenya National Examinations Council Chairperson Prof. Julius Nyabundi and National Parents Association chairman Silas Obuhatsa.
Others include education expert Janet Ouko, Council of Legal Education Chairperson Prof. Collins Odote, former Busia deputy governor Kizito Wangalwa, Assistant Inspector General George Lenny Kisaka, education consultant Mercy Igoki, National Gender and Equality Commission chief executive officer Dr Purity Ngina and advocate Purity Mbaabu.
The team also includes Professor Jackline Nyerere, an Associate Professor of Education at Kenyatta University, Dr Cleophas Ondieki, a medical doctor and health-programme leader, and education and development specialist Andiwo Obondoh among others.
Dr William Sugut will lead the joint secretariat, supported by Joshua Wabwire, Christine Siranga, Faith Nkatha, Gikambi Zipporah Kawira, Hellen Avisa, Kindi Seyianoi Monicah and Rashid Mohammed.
According to the Gazette notice, the team will “investigate, assess, and make recommendations regarding the immediate, underlying, and systemic causes of the 2026 school unrest.”
The inquiry will consider differences across regions, school categories, gender, age, disability and boarding status, while examining the influence of social media, smartphones and misinformation on student behaviour.
Other issues under investigation include examination-related stress, long academic terms, the quantity and quality of food, bullying, peer pressure, gender-based violence, substance abuse, criminal gangs, religious extremism and copycat behaviour.
Boarding schools will receive particular attention following concerns about the concentration of unrest and fatalities in the institutions.
The team will evaluate existing boarding school models against national education goals and advise the government on appropriate policies, governance arrangements and practices.
It will also review school safety, security and disaster risk management frameworks, assess their implementation and recommend measures to strengthen emergency preparedness.
The notice directs the team to “audit the adequacy, currency, quality, and enforcement of existing school safety, security, safeguarding, and emergency preparedness measures.”
The review will cover boarding infrastructure, emergency response systems and schools’ obligations under the National Disaster Risk Management Act, No. 16 of 2026, and other relevant laws.
The committee will further investigate links between school infrastructure, household fees, government capitation grants and unrest, while developing recommendations on affordable school uniforms and the cost of education from pre-primary to senior school.
On learner welfare, the team will assess the effectiveness of guidance and counselling, mental health and psychosocial support, chaplaincy, pastoral programmes, career development and referral services.
It will also review disciplinary procedures, including transfers between institutions, and determine whether learners, parents and teachers have safe channels to raise concerns and receive timely responses.
The inquiry will examine the accountability of school heads, Boards of Management, sponsors, parents, learners, education authorities and security agencies in preventing and responding to unrest. The terms and conditions of service for non-teaching staff will also be reviewed.
Ultimately, the task team is expected to develop a prioritised and costed implementation framework, identifying responsible institutions, timelines, resource requirements and mechanisms for monitoring progress.
