Inside Ogamba's 100 days at the helm of tough education tab

Julius Migos Ogamba, nominee for the position of Education CS before the Committee on Appointments at the Mini Chambers, County Hall, Nairobi. August 1st ,2024 [Elvis Ogina, Standard] The transition of learners from Grade 8 to 9 remains a top challenge for the education sector under Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, as he marks 100 days in office. CS Ogamba has had no honeymoon period, navigating a web of challenges engulfing the sector. They include teachers and lecturers' strikes, suspension of a new university funding model, leadership wrangles in universities, and recent examination malpractice scandals. With only 35 days to the transition to Grade 9, undertones of uncertainty surround readiness of institutions as schools prepare to reopen in January next year. Ogamba has been tasked with delivering over 16,000 classrooms before then. This initiative, central to implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), has faced significant delays due to funding constraints and administrative bottlenecks. Appearing before Parliament in November, the CS reported that 5,000 classrooms have been completed, leaving a balance of 11,000. Ogamba has also faced challenges in distribution of textbooks for Grade 9 learners. In a recent update, he assured that all schools would receive the books by mid-December. The CS has also grappled with discontent over the new university funding model. Designed to allocate funds based on students' economic needs, the model has been criticised by Parliament and other stakeholders for being inequitable and was suspended by court in September. The suspension has triggered fresh chaos in universities after the government froze disbursement of funds under the model for over 200,000 students to comply with the court ruling. The CS has also cracked the whip on rogue boarding schools after a fire incident ravaged a boarding school in Endarasha, Nyeri County and claimed 21 lives. He ordered closure of 348 boarding schools found to be in contravention to set guidelines. Stakeholders have expressed mixed reactions to the CS's leadership. While some applaud his efforts to stabilise a sector in crisis, others question his ability to deliver long-term solutions. Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General, Collins Oyuu, argues that the systemic underfunding and poor labour relations in the education sector, are issues that predate Ogamba but now fall squarely under his mandate. "Ogamba's tenure has mirrored the challenges faced by his predecessors, particularly in balancing ambitious reforms with inadequate resources. His efforts to tackle the CBC transition, funding crises, and labour disputes demonstrate a willingness to engage stakeholders and prioritise urgent issues," Oyuu said. However, Oyuu termed the measures adopted by the CS as reactive rather than anticipatory, raising questions about the ministry's capacity to implement long-term solutions. Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers secretary general Akello Misori said it is necessary for the CS to address critical issues with long lasting solutions. "We need to address issues such as funding in schools once and for all, the CS should look at what can be done to provide a substantive solution," Misori said. Education expert Janet Ouko Muthoni said the next 100 days may be even more critical as the education sector continues to grapple with Grade 9 transition challenges.

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