Bumula Member of Parliament Jack Wamboka has escalated pressure on the government over challenges facing public schools, calling on President William Ruto to remove Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, whom he accuses of presiding over failures that have stalled reforms and strained school operations nationwide.
Speaking on Saturday at Mateka Secondary School during the disbursement of bursary cheques, the DAP-K lawmaker argued that persistent policy confusion, delayed capitation, and administrative bottlenecks point to weak leadership at the Ministry of Education, warning that continued inaction could deepen the crisis.
Wamboka said the Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Ogamba Migos, had demonstrated commitment to stabilising the sector but was being undermined by his principal secretary.
“Prof Ogamba is doing his best, but he is being dragged behind by this PS Bitok. For reforms to succeed, he must be removed from the ministry with immediate effect,” Wamboka said.
The MP described Bitok as a political actor ill-suited to drive education reforms, urging the President to redeploy him away from the docket.
He alleged that the PS spends significant time in Uasin Gishu pursuing political interests ahead of the 2027 general elections, at the expense of overseeing critical education functions.
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Wamboka linked delayed capitation to what he termed poor planning at the ministry, noting that schools had recently received about Sh7,000 per learner against the expected annual allocation of Sh22,000.
He said the shortfall had disrupted operations, leaving headteachers struggling to pay non-teaching staff, purchase learning materials, and meet food costs.
“Unless the balance is released urgently, public schools will accumulate debts and the quality of education, especially for learners from vulnerable backgrounds, will suffer,” he warned.
He also criticised the President’s directive allowing learners transitioning to Grade 10 to report to school without uniforms, arguing that while the intention was to promote access, it shifted administrative and financial pressure to school heads already grappling with funding gaps.
Wamboka further challenged the government’s broader priorities, saying ambitions to transform the country’s education outcomes would remain elusive if funding delays persist. He called for a reallocation of resources towards affordable education and healthcare, rather than large infrastructure projects.
His remarks come amid growing criticism of the Education PS from within government.
Last week, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah reportedly questioned Bitok’s grasp of ongoing education reforms during a parliamentary retreat in Naivasha.