This man Bitok: Why the PS is always on receiving end

Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok during a previous media briefing. [File, Standard] Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has found himself under intense scrutiny. On two occasions, MPs criticised him for skipping committee sittings and questioned his leadership style in the education sector. In less than a month, Bitok has faced sharp rebukes from Parliament over his conduct and handling of duties at the Ministry of Education, raising concerns about his stewardship of this critical docket. The first confrontation came when National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah publicly questioned Bitok's competence and understanding of school realities. Speaking during a National Assembly Members' Retreat in Naivasha on January 28, Ichung'wah described him as "the most clueless PS in the Ministry of Education," accusing him of failing to visit schools and grasp challenges on the ground. He cited disparities in teacher distribution, questioning why some schools remain understaffed while others have excess staff despite the presence of education officials. "Get out of your offices in Nairobi, go to the ground and deal with the problems there," he urged, calling for stronger engagement with the sector's challenges. For the second time last week, Bitok came under intense scrutiny from lawmakers, placing him at the centre of a growing storm over accountability, leadership and management in education. His latest clash occurred on Thursday when he failed to appear before the National Assembly Committee on Education to defend budget proposals, prompting MPs to accuse him of undermining Parliament's oversight role. Committee chair Julius Melly criticised what he described as a pattern of absenteeism and the PS's failure to respond adequately to key sector issues. "This committee will not tolerate contempt for Parliament or casual handling of matters affecting every school in this country. If he continues to ignore this House, we will summon him, and we will not hesitate to place his conduct before Parliament for action," Melly said. The committee threatened a formal summons, warning that failure to comply could lead to censure on the House floor. Melly noted that the Clerk had formally invited all relevant Principal Secretaries, clearly stating the date, venue and agenda following the tabling of the Budget Policy Statement on February 11. While other ministry officials sought to reschedule through proper channels, Bitok failed to attend without what MPs deemed a satisfactory explanation. However, Bitok later appeared before the committee on Thursday evening and apologised for missing the earlier session, attributing his absence to a communication breakdown. "Allow me to register my apology to the committee for turning up late; there was a miscommunication and I take responsibility for it. I have no intention to disrespect this committee or ignore summons whatsoever," he said. The committee directed Bitok to reappear on February 24 with his team to respond to pending issues. READ: 'Clueless!' PS Bitok draws fire over school fees, uniform confusion On Tuesday, he appeared before the committee to discuss the Budget Policy Statement (BPS). Bitok was calm and composed, arriving on time and ready to address queries arising from the BPS. He committed to working with Parliament to resolve issues and assured that the Ministry is available to provide clarifications whenever required, apologising for the previous session's miscommunication. "I want to thank you for the guidance you have given us. From where I sit, I am still fairly new in the State Department of Basic Education. I am confident that the state of education in this country is very strong; it is in the best position it has been for many years," he told the committee. "Allow me to confirm that we are ready to listen to the committee. We are available whenever needed for any clarification. There was miscommunication last week and once again, allow me to apologise on behalf of the entire team and thank you for listening to us," Bitok added. Last week, lawmakers said Bitok's absence from committee meetings had stalled deliberations on urgent issues affecting schools, including overcrowding, transition challenges, delayed capitation disbursement, lack of learner insurance, and the overall state of school management. Reforms Bitok assumed office in May 2025 following a reshuffle that moved former Education PS Belio Kipsang to the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services. During his tenure there, Bitok earned praise for reforms, notably clearing a major passport backlog and improving service delivery. However, similar recognition has yet to follow him in the education sector, where his leadership has increasingly faced scrutiny despite the defence of his record. The former teacher maintains he has made progress, including releasing capitation funds to schools before reopening and overseeing nearly 100 per cent transition of learners from junior to senior secondary school. ALSO READ: 'Absentee' PS Julius Bitok on MPs' radar over education crisis The criticism comes amid undertones within the Ministry suggesting he may be overriding his mandate. In July 2025, MPs on the Education Committee again raised concerns that Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, PS Bitok and Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala appeared to be pulling in different directions. Luanda MP Dick Maungu warned that PSs must remember they serve under a CS, not the other way around. "We cannot have PSs acting as if they are bigger than CSs. The PS (Julius Bitok) should have been here. Where is your PS?" Maungu asked Ogamba during the July 31 session. CS Ogamba, however, explained that the committee's invitation had been addressed only to him, so the PS was not obliged to attend. Ogamba further explained that Bitok was attending a performance appraisal meeting, the deadline for which fell on the same day. The absence raised eyebrows among lawmakers, who questioned the apparent disjointedness in the ministry's leadership.

This man Bitok: Why the PS is always on receiving end

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