Kiyiapi: Education reforms in the offing

By Dann Okoth

The taskforce on education reforms will hand over its final report to the Government by end of this month, a top ministry official has revealed.

Education PS James ole Kiyiapi said the taskforce, which was mandated to come up with policy proposals to reform the sector, was about to complete its work.

"Last week, the taskforce presented a preliminary report to the ministry and we expect it will hand in its final report within the next two weeks," Prof Kiyiapi said in a telephone interview.

"On receipt of the report, the Government will enter the next phase, which includes sharing the recommendations with other stakeholders including parliamentary Select Committee on Education to ensure the sector conforms to aspirations of Kenyans," he added.

The Government will use recommendations contained in the report to draft a policy for education that aligns with the Constitution and the Vision 2030.

The development is likely to excite stakeholders in the sector who had expressed frustration at the delay by the taskforce to come up with recommendations to reform the sector. Last week, a coalition of civil society groups challenged the Government to fast track education reforms to address falling standards, reiterating their earlier call on the same.

Stem bar

Under the auspices of Nairobi Peoples Settlement Network and Kisumu Social Rights Association, the groups demanded priority to certain issues in the policy review.

"People in the informal settlements have concerns on issues of basic education and what, in our opinion, need to be given priority during the review of policies and legislation in the education sector," said Millie Jagero, Education General Secretary at NPSN Education Thematic Group.

"The reforms are needed to align the policies and legislation on the right to free and compulsory education to the Constitution.

Kiyiapi said the intended reforms in the sector were aimed at ensuring Kenya has the human capital to respond to issues of the 21st century.

"The aim was to question whether our system is relevant in terms of curriculum," he says. "The other issue was to align the system to the Constitution and in view of the principle of devolution."

The PS also said the Government would adopt policies that would eliminate wastage in public schools, adding that the State would be keen to adopt a system that promoted the aspect of institutional management.

"We also need a system facilitated to better transit from primary to secondary school," Kiyiapi says.

However, stakeholders will have their eyes trained on touchy issues like free education and its funding as the Government moves to institute a new policy – especially now that this forms a fundamental basic human right enshrined in the Constitution.

"Free education is often meant to imply waiver of tuition fees, but tuition fee is only a part of educational expense. Poor families are often not able to raise other expenses needed for education," says Odindo Opiata, Director at Economic and Social Rights Centre (Hakijamii).

Other expenses

"These are textbooks, writing material, uniforms, transportation, educational and support materials for disabled children (hearing aids, spectacles, Braille books, and crutches, among others), or even library fee, laboratory fee, which are not covered under tuition fee," he adds.

India, he says, passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) in 2009. The Act describes the modalities of the provision of free and compulsory education for children between the age of six and 14.

"It is the first legislation in the world that puts the responsibility of ensuring enrolment, attendance and completion on the Government," he says. "In other countries like the US, it is the parents’ responsibility to send the children to school."

Article 53 of the Constitution has, however, placed this responsibility on the Government.

No donations

"But for this right to be translated into reality, it is absolutely necessary and urgent for Parliament to enact a comprehensive and detailed legislation. The legislation must specify minimum norms in all primary and pre–primary schools," Opiata explains.

In his opinion, the legislation should also prohibit all unrecognised schools from practice, and make provisions for no donation or capitation fees and no interview of the child or parent for admission.

Clear and effective monitoring mechanisms must also be put in place to ensure implementation. Special provision for vulnerable and marginalised children, like those with disabilities or those in informal settlements, must also be made to ensure compliance with the Constitution.

Sufficient funding mechanism, preferably through the equalisation fund, must be established to address the needs of the marginalised. But while acknowledging that financing has been the role of the Government, Kiyiapi says it would explore ways of partnering with the private sector and other donors in education financing. He says his ministry is currently drafting a sessional paper to be presented to Cabinet and PSC once the taskforce report is out.